Heart Of Gold
by MTK4FUN
Summary: AU THE SEQUEL TO ARGONAUTS AND ALLIES - Newlyweds Peeta and Katniss Mellark face many challenges as they settle into their new home in the gold mining town of District 12. Will their troubles tear them apart or only make them stronger?
1. Chapter 1 - Loss

**Chapter 1 – Loss**

**December 1849 **

"No, no," Katniss cried out in her sleep.

She was twisting and turning in the bed, jolting Peeta awake. He sat up, leaning against the brass headboard. He reached his arm out across her body and pulled his wife close in the darkness.

"It was just a dream," he whispered. "You're all right."

He kissed the top of her head, pulling her nearer still. He hoped he was accurate. That she would be all right – that they both would be. But he was beginning to feel as if they were caught up in a bad dream that they couldn't shake.

At the foot of the bed, a baby's piercing cry sounded. He sighed, unwrapped his arms from Katniss, and got out of bed. Soft moonlight flooded the room as he limped to the child's cradle. He picked the girl up carefully and carried her back to the bed.

Katniss had turned away and pulled the blanket over her head. He leaned up against the headboard and rocked the child in his arms willing her to fall asleep quickly so that he could go back to sleep. He was so tired.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Only a couple of months earlier, Peeta Mellark had been a content man. He'd been the owner of a small bakeshop in Dirty District 12, a gold mining camp in California's Sacramento Valley. He'd been working alongside his wife Katniss, a petite, dark-haired beauty, who he'd married in the spring.

But his life had taken a sudden sharp turn when a freak-lightening storm had struck the mining camp starting a fire that had destroyed his business and most of the miners' tents.

Dirty District 12 had shut down, all of the miners leaving. His brother Rye had headed for another camp with Peeta's friend Finnick Odair and Finnick's pregnant wife Annie.

Katniss' family, her mother and sister Prim, along with her Aunt Hazelle, Uncle Samuel, and cousins Vick and Posy had headed to Sacramento City. Her cousin Rory Hawthorne had joined his brother Gale, digging for gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains with a group of men from Sonora, Mexico. Gale had hired María, the wife of one of the miners, to nurse his daughter Lavinia after the death of his wife Madge in childbirth.

Peeta and Katniss had relocated to District 12, the small town closest to the burned-out mining camp. Peeta had accepted a position as a temporary cook at Effie's house in exchange for free lodging. His duties also included teaching Effie's niece Delly to cook and milking Effie's two cows.

It wasn't an ideal living situation, though, because Effie ran the town's brothel. But it had meant that Peeta and Katniss would be living in a house for the winter, instead of a tent.

He and Katniss were also working for Sae, who owned the only restaurant in town; Peeta as a baker and Katniss as a hunter.

The blow of losing his business had been softened by Katniss' announcement that she was expecting.

The first couple of weeks in Effie's house had been fine. But early one morning, just after he returned from milking the cows, Katniss woke up in pain with belly cramps. She'd asked him to get Effie.

He shot out of the room, as quickly as his crippled leg would permit, in search of his employer. He pounded on Effie's bedroom door. She was annoyed when she opened it, but when Peeta explained what was happening she pushed him aside and went to his wife.

"Get out of here and bake something," she ordered him when he hovered near the bed as Effie spoke with Katniss. "This is women's domain."

Reluctantly, he left and went to the kitchen to build up the fire in the stove. He wished Katniss' mother, who was a midwife wasn't so far away.

While the stove heated, Peeta gathered together the ingredients to make pancakes. He also started a pot of coffee. After fifteen minutes, Delly appeared, her hair a mess of blonde curls, her eyes crusty with sleep, and her dressing gown wrapped tightly around her.

"My aunt wants a bucket of warm water."

Peeta got a large pot and dipped it into the fresh water barrel that stood in the kitchen. He put it on the stove to heat.

Delly opened a cupboard and pulled out a pile of clean rags.

"How is Katniss?" Peeta asked, his eyes focusing on the large scraps of fabric Delly had in her arms.

"She's bleeding," Delly muttered.

She hurried out of the room.

Peeta followed after her, but when they reached the bedroom door, Delly turned to him.

"Stay out Peeta," she insisted, as she opened the door.

Peeta reached for the edge of the door, holding it open with his hand as he peered over Delly's head. Katniss was sitting up in the bed. Her face was pale. Hair was falling out of her braid. Her eyes were red rimmed. A rush of emotion came over him and he had the sudden urge to push Delly out of the way and run to his wife's side.

Effie was sitting on the bed next to her, speaking softly to Katniss. He couldn't make out the words, but he could see the tears slowly slip down Katniss' cheeks.

Effie turned and looked toward her niece. "Give me those rags, Delly. Get the hot water."

Effie looked at Peeta. "Help Delly with the water."

"Can I…" he began, but Effie silenced him.

"The water please."

He caught Katniss' eye for a moment, but she quickly turned away.

Frustrated, he went back to the kitchen. He dipped a finger into the water. It was warm, but not boiling. He lifted the kettle off the stove and carried it to the bedroom. Delly opened the door, but Effie stood up immediately and came forward to take the pot from Peeta, not letting him enter the room.

He scowled at his employer and left. He returned to the kitchen and fried a stack of pancakes, setting them out on a platter for the women who worked for Effie. He covered the platter with a clean cloth and set out a cup of powdered sugar and a jar of blueberry jam on the table.

The women slept late because their evenings were spent entertaining customers. But he knew that they'd eventually come downstairs looking for sustenance.

He poured a cup of coffee, and took a couple of pancakes for himself, liberally sprinkling powdered sugar over the top. He ate slowly, but after a few bites he had to stop. He had no appetite.

Instead, he drank his coffee and stared off into space, wondering when Effie would let him see his wife. He only wanted the reassurance that she would be all right.

When he finished his coffee, he threw out his uneaten food. He tidied up the kitchen, washing his cup, plate, knife and fork.

Since Delly was busy, he couldn't give her a cooking lesson. Instead he headed over to Sae's restaurant to do some baking.

The weather was getting colder as winter approached. Only a year ago, it had snowed so heavily that Peeta and Katniss had been trapped overnight in a cave during a storm. That event and their subsequent discovery of a gold vein in the cave wall had been the catalyst for their relationship.

Never in his wildest dreams would Peeta have thought that a year later he'd be married to Katniss with a baby on the way. But, he reminded himself, Katniss was likely no longer expecting.

He'd put that thought out of his head ever since Effie had shut him out of his room. He'd only worried about his wife. But as he stood in Sae's kitchen kneading dough over the table he couldn't help but think of the child.

They'd talked about the baby a great deal among themselves, but they hadn't shared the news with anyone else, mainly because they hadn't seen any of their family or friends lately.

But it didn't matter now. The baby wasn't real any more.

A thought occurred to him; maybe he had caused this. Maybe he had been _too_ affectionate with his wife.

He pounded the dough with such ferocity that Sae came over to watch.

"The bread will be as tough as shoe leather if you keep at it that way," she commented. "Have a fight with the girl did you?"

A tear trickled down Peeta's face, which he quickly brushed away; immediately Sae placed her hand onto his forearm.

"What is it?" she asked.

Peeta hesitated before answering. Gossip had been rife in the mining camp. In fact, Katniss' mother had urged him to quickly marry Katniss precisely because of gossip that the miners had been spreading about them.

He didn't want anything he told Sae to be spread around town. Katniss would be furious if that happened, especially if it had come from his mouth.

So instead of speaking the facts, he simply told Sae that Katniss was ill and that Effie was tending to her.

"What's she got?" Sae asked. "I can't have you working here if she's got something contagious."

"It's women's..."

Sae smirked and interrupted his explanation.

"No need for any details. Well, it's good she's living in that house then, with all those women to help her."

Peeta nodded. Sae was right. If she couldn't have her mother nearby, the next best thing was to be living in a house full of women. Someone would know what to do.

Peeta focused on his work, but his mind was far away. After he finished baking several loaves of bread and a couple of pies, Peeta excused himself to check on Katniss. Surely now, Effie would let him see his wife and talk with her.

But when he got to Effie's house, his employer was sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee. "Katniss is sleeping, don't disturb her," she said firmly.

"Can I see her at least?" he begged.

Effie nodded. "But don't wake her up."

Peeta entered the couple's bedroom as quietly as he was able. He noted that all the linens had been changed. He wondered how much blood Katniss had lost, but he pushed the thought from his mind. He walked next to the side of the bed and looked down at her.

Katniss was lying on her side, her legs curled up. Effie must have combed through her hair and re-braided it. Her face was devoid of color. Her head was resting on a flattened pillow, her hands were fisted tightly around the white sheet that was pulled up under her arms.

She looked ghostly, but Peeta was reassured by the rhythmic pattern of her chest rising and falling. He knelt down next to her and lightly touched her cheek.

He took a deep breath. When he exhaled, a loud sigh came forth, evidence of his pent up fears being revealed.

Katniss startled at the sound. Her eyes opened and she turned her head toward Peeta.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed.

He shook his head. "Katniss, it's not your fault." She couldn't think that. If anything, he was at fault. He should have reined in his exuberance towards her since she was with child.

Tears ran down the sides of her face. Peeta reached up with his thumb to wipe them away.

Katniss scowled and turned her face to hide it in the pillow. Her body shook as she sobbed. He leaned over her, in an attempt to hug her, but the door opened and Effie interrupted him.

"I told you to let her sleep," Effie chided him.

He gave a quick squeeze to her shoulder, before grudgingly standing up to follow Effie from the room.

Once they returned to the kitchen, Effie told him to sit.

"Katniss lost the baby. She needs to rest. She should stay in bed for at least a week."

Peeta nodded grimly.

"She's going to be sad," Effie explained. "She's mourning the loss of a child."

Peeta nodded. Our child, he thought. She's mourning the child we made together.

"She'll be fine Peeta. These things happen. Just give her some time, she'll return to her old self."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A month passed and Katniss hadn't recovered. Peeta was reminded of Mrs. Everdeen's melancholic behavior after her husband had died in the mining camp. Like her mother, Katniss refused to leave her bed. She huddled under the blankets, eyes fixed on some point in the distance. Once in a while, she'd stir; get up as if moved by some urgent purpose only to then collapse back into stillness. No amount of pleading by Peeta seemed to affect her.

At first Peeta was glad she was resting. She had experienced a physical trauma; she needed to build up her strength. But after two weeks he wondered what was wrong. She barely ate. She'd only spoken a few dozen words to him.

Meanwhile, he'd been doing the chores for both of them. He'd even gone hunting a few times with Sae's husband Ephraim to get meat for the restaurant, a job that Katniss had been doing.

He understood that she was grieving. But he was grieving, too. He'd shed many tears in private, usually while milking the cows. He hadn't spoken to anyone about their loss. He tried to talk to Katniss twice about it, but she'd turned away and hid her face in the blankets.

He'd never seen this side of Katniss. He'd known her for six months before they'd married and she'd never acted like this, not when her father died, not when Madge had died. She had mourned both deaths, but she hadn't given up living.

Frustrated, he pounded the dough in Sae's kitchen. People were asking him about Katniss. They wanted to know what was wrong with her. When would she be up and about? He suspected that Effie had already told everyone about the miscarriage judging by the way people were acting around him, sympathetic and full of pity. He didn't want their pity. He wanted his wife back to her usual feisty, independent self.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He had been in the kitchen that morning watching Delly sloppily roll out a piecrust with when he heard a rapping at the front door. Effie's house wasn't open for business; it was too early in the day. He'd left Delly, whose hands were covered in flour, and went to open the door.

"You answer the door too?" Gale questioned. Katniss' cousin was standing on the porch holding his daughter Lavinia in his arms. His brother Rory was next to him. Peeta hadn't seen either man since the fire at the mining camp.

Immediately Peeta felt a tinge of grief when he saw the baby and remembered his and Katniss' loss. But he threw the thought away and put on a happy face.

"She's gotten so big," he said to Gale. He opened the door wider so Gale and Rory could step inside.

"She's three months already," Gale said proudly. "Is Katniss around? I wanted to ask her something."

Peeta frowned. "Come into the parlor. We can talk there."

A curious look crossed Gale's face, but he and his brother followed Peeta into the well-decorated room. The men sat down and looked expectantly at Peeta. Gale bounced the baby on his knee.

"Katniss was expecting, but she lost the baby," Peeta began.

"Is she all right?" A panicked look crossed Gale's face, and Peeta wondered if Gale was reliving Madge's death.

"Physically, she's fine," Peeta explained. "But, she won't get out of bed. She acts melancholic."

Rory snorted. Gale and Peeta both glared at him.

"What?" Rory asked, frowning back at them. "It's exactly the same thing her mother does."

Gale nodded. "He's right. My aunt is known for taking to her bed when she gets overwhelmed."

"What would make her get up then?" Peeta asked. If there was something he could say, something he could do to revive Katniss, he wanted to do it now. This. Very. Minute.

"I don't know, but eventually my aunt always comes around," Gale said. "But I know you can't do things for her." He looked sharply at Peeta.

"What do you mean?" Peeta asked, puzzled by Gale's comment.

"Don't make it easy for Katniss to lay abed. I assume you're bringing meals to her."

Peeta nodded, sheepishly.

"Don't do it. Give her a reason to get up and get dressed. Make her responsible for something."

Peeta thought about the many tasks of Katniss' that he'd taken on. Maybe he was making it too easy for her to give up.

"I have an idea," Gale said. "It would actually help out both of us. Our camp broke up for the winter. María and Jaime are moving south with their family. Rory and I are heading to Sacramento City to find our parents. I wanted to leave Lavinia with Katniss."

"No," Peeta said quickly. "She couldn't…"

"We'd have to travel much slower if I take Lavinia and I don't know how I'd be able to feed her," Gale explained. "She can't eat beef jerky."

He laughed at his joke, but Peeta's face didn't reflect the humor. A dawning sense of the huge responsibility Gale was asking of them made him pause. This was much more than letting someone's animal stay in your barn.

Lavinia needed to be fed, diapered, bathed, and watched continuously. Her entire existence would be in their hands.

"She can drink cow's milk now," Gale continued. "You have two cows here."

Peeta shook his head, watching the tiny child on Gale's lap kick her legs wildly. "I don't see how we can do it. And anyway, I don't know if Effie would let us keep a baby here."

Gale frowned. "I'll talk to Effie for you. If she agrees, would you consider it? It would only be for a few weeks. Once I locate my parents, I'll come back and get Lavinia and bring her to stay with them."

Peeta nodded hesitantly, hoping that Effie would put a stop to the entire thing. Even if Katniss had been her old self, taking care of Lavinia would be a big chore.

He went in search of his employer to bring her to the parlor to speak with Gale. Effie smiled broadly and took the child off Gale's lap and began rocking her back and forth in her arms, cooing gently to her. As Peeta watched Effie's behavior, he knew that she would side with Gale.

"I agree it's the only sensible solution," she told Gale after hearing his request. "The baby can stay here until you get back. Business is slack during the winter with men leaving the camps. The girls have a lot more free time and can help out."

She turned to Peeta. "It would be a good experience for Delly."

"I thought she was supposed to be learning to cook," Peeta countered.

"She can do both," Effie said. "Someday she may be a wife. She needs to be prepared."

God help the man who marries Delly, Peeta inwardly snickered. He better be rich enough to hire a housekeeper or he was going to be in trouble.

But then he remembered his own problems and he immediately felt ashamed at thinking badly of Delly's future husband.

Gale sent Rory outside to retrieve a satchel containing supplies for the child, a few articles of clothing and some flannel rags that were used as diapers. He handed the bag to Peeta before retrieving the baby from Effie.

"Papa will be back soon Little Nugget," he said, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "You be good for Katniss and Peeta."

"We need to get going," he said gruffly to his brother. He handed the baby to Peeta, who put the satchel's strap over his shoulder.

"Do you want to see Katniss before you go?" Peeta asked, carefully holding the baby in arms.

Gale shook his head. "No, I'll see her in a few weeks when I return. Remember what I told you."

Peeta frowned. Gale's advice might prove helpful, but Peeta was still concerned about taking on the responsibility of Lavinia.

He followed Gale and Rory to the door and waved goodbye before closing the door.

When he entered the house, a burning smell assaulted him. He positioned Lavinia upright, with her head on his shoulder, and hurried to the kitchen to find Delly pulling a blackened pie from the oven.

"A baby," Delly trilled, her eyes widening. "Oh, let me hold her."

"What happened to the pie?"

"I think the oven was too hot," Delly explained.

Peeta looked around the flour-strewn kitchen. "Clean up in here first and then you can play with the baby."

He carried Lavinia to his and Katniss' room. He knocked softly on the door before entering it. Katniss was lying on her side facing away from him, twisting the end of her messy braid around her finger.

He approached her warily, as if she were a wounded animal. Under different circumstances, he would have enjoyed being a temporary parent to Lavinia. Now, however, she only seemed another burden to bear.

When he was standing next to the bed, Lavinia cooed and then giggled loudly. Katniss turned her head sharply. Her eyes widened. "Where did you get.." she started, before licking her lips. "That baby?" she finished.

Peeta sat down on the side of the bed. "Gale dropped off Lavinia for us to mind her for a few weeks."

A pained look crossed Katniss' face. Peeta wondered if she was feeling the same jealously he'd experienced when he'd opened the door to greet Gale. He hoped it wouldn't send her into a deeper level of grief.

A knock on the door interrupted them. It was Effie.

"Peeta, I have a baby's cradle in the attic. You can carry it down and clean it up for Lavinia."

Peeta looked at Katniss. "Can you watch her while I help Effie?"

Katniss shook her head and a fresh flood of tears fell down her cheeks.

"That's alright," he said, softly. "You'll have plenty of time later." He leaned in and kissed her cheek before standing up and carrying Lavinia out of the room.

Delly agreed to watch Lavinia while Peeta cleaned the large wooden baby's bed, applying wax to it and polishing it to a sheen. He wondered why in the world Effie would have a baby cradle stored in her attic. Without voicing his question, Delly answered it when he was finished.

"That was my bed when I was a baby," she volunteered.

"You've been with your aunt ever since you were a baby?" He'd never given thought to how Delly had ended up living with her aunt.

"Yes," Delly said. "My parents died shortly after I was born."

The thought comforted Peeta somewhat because it meant that Effie had firsthand experience with babies. He certainly didn't and he doubted Katniss had much either. She had only been a small child when her sister Prim was born.

He carried the cradle into his and Katniss' room and set it at the foot of their bed. Effie had given him some bedding and he set it in place so the baby would have a soft surface to lie on.

Katniss was asleep. He was glad of it. He had forgotten to ask Gale if Lavinia woke at night, but if she did maybe Katniss could take charge. She'd certainly be rested enough to do so, if she was willing.

Fortunately, Delly was enamored of the child, which enabled Peeta to milk the cows and make dinner for everyone.

Delly sat in the kitchen, feeding the baby, while Peeta cooked. She tried holding a cup to Lavinia's mouth to drink the milk, but was more successful by dipping a clean rag into the milk and letting Lavinia suck it dry. It was a long process, but eventually the cup was empty.

Per Gale's advice, Peeta didn't bring any dinner into the bedroom for Katniss. After cleaning up the kitchen, he retired early to his room, taking Lavinia with him. The child was nearly asleep when he set her in the cradle.

He stripped down to his underclothes and climbed into bed next to Katniss. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, waking only when Katniss cried out from her dream.

**Author's Note: Although breastfeeding has been the primary feeding method for babies throughout history, evidence suggests that vessels of all shapes and sizes, made from wood, ceramics, cow's horns and even pewter and silver were also used. Rags, small pieces of linen cloth and sponges were often used as a teat or nipple. During the mid-19****th**** century, glass baby bottles were created and first used in France. The first rubber nipples were introduced in 1845.**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Baby Changes Everything

**Chapter 2 – A Baby Changes Everything**

Katniss felt a tugging at her hair, and then a tickling on her scalp. There was a light in the room from the first rays of the sun. Peeta would be waking up soon to milk the cows.

She curled her legs up to her chest. She vaguely remembered a dream she'd had about losing Prim, except that Prim was a baby and Katniss had misplaced her.

Another day. How would she get through it? The tickling sensation occurred again and then a loud coo. Katniss startled. She turned over to see Peeta leaning up against the headboard asleep, his blonde curls askew. His arms encircled a baby that was fully awake. His chin was resting on top of the baby's head.

Katniss let out a sigh. Lavinia. She had forgotten all about her. She stretched her legs and sat up in bed. Gently she pried the baby from Peeta's arms, jolting him awake.

"What?" he mumbled, his voice groggy with sleep.

"Get up and milk the cows. I have Lavinia."

Peeta's eyes widened to look at Katniss in surprise. Then he smiled, for the first time in weeks.

For brief moment, Katniss felt hope.

But a minute later he was out of bed, dressed, and had left the room.

Leaning against the bed frame, Katniss held Lavinia to her chest. She buried her face into the baby's curly, strawberry-blonde locks and sniffed. The child smelled like Peeta, like flour and sugar and salty sweat. It was a scent she'd become accustomed to since her marriage and it set off a flood of emotions within her.

She'd spent the last month in mourning. With the loss of their child, she'd completely given up. For the first time in her life she had felt like a failure. She had always prided herself on her ability to push through any circumstance and situation. But this event had taken her entirely by surprise.

Katniss hadn't known how to react to the intense sadness, humiliation, and even guilt she was feeling, so she did what she'd seen her mother do countless times before – she took to her bed.

And even though she despised herself for following her mother's example, the longer she stayed in bed, the harder it was to find a reason to get up.

She was sorry for Peeta to be tied down to someone like herself. And now he had taken on the responsibility of caring for Lavinia as well.

The baby babbled unintelligently and Katniss' lost her train of thought. She guessed Lavinia was hungry. Her diaper was damp. Katniss set the baby down in the center of the bed and slowly got up.

She looked around the sparse room for Lavinia's belongings. She opened the wardrobe, but it only contained her's and Peeta's things. As she closed the door she noticed a satchel sitting atop the large piece of furniture. She pulled it down and opened it to find the child's supply of clothing and diapers.

She put a clean diaper on Lavinia, sighing loudly. Despite lying in bed for a month, Katniss was tired.

She looked up and caught sight of the painting of the meadow that was on the opposite wall, near to the door. She'd spent so many hours staring at that painting over the last several weeks, imagining her lost baby growing up alone in that meadow, which looked a bit like how she pictured heaven.

The notion had always sent her into a panic, forcing her to put her head under the blanket and take deep breathes to get calm. But now, as she looked at the painting and then back at Lavinia, a comforting thought sprang to her mind.

She imagined Madge in that meadow taking care of her child, while she was here taking care of Lavinia. The two women had simply exchanged babies. And while Katniss fervently wished she could have seen and cared for her own little one, she was hopeful that she'd meet up with that child some day.

But Lavinia was here now, and needed someone to tend to her. Encouraged by this idea, Katniss set aside her despair and resolved to act as the child's mother.

She unbraided her hair and combed through it. She put on a dress.

She surveyed the small room critically. The bedding needed cleaning, the floor needed sweeping, the wardrobe needed dusting, and the bed frame needed polishing. That would be her task for today. Put everything into tip-top shape. But first, she needed a bath.

She left the room and carried Lavinia to the kitchen. Peeta was building a fire in the stove.

"Would you boil some water for washing?" she asked.

He turned around, a look of surprise appearing on his face. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." But she didn't look at him directly; she couldn't because she was embarrassed about everything that had happened. "Will Lavinia drink milk from a cup?" she changed the subject.

"No," Peeta said. "Delly tried yesterday. But then she dipped a rag into the milk and Lavina sucked the right milk up."

Katniss frowned, irritated that Peeta had let Delly feed the baby.

Peeta set a cup of milk onto the table and took a clean cloth from the cupboard. Katniss sat down and set to work. By the time Lavinia had finished the entire cup, Peeta was putting a platter of warm biscuits on the table.

He poured Katniss a cup of coffee, and then joined her at the table for breakfast.

"Do you want me to hold her while you eat?" he asked.

She shook her head. Instead, she set the girl on her knee and picked up a biscuit from the dish.

Neither of them spoke, but it was apparent to Katniss that Peeta was in a good mood as he'd been humming as he moved about the kitchen preparing the meal. She supposed it was because Lavinia was here. She had let Peeta down, but the presence of Lavinia was making up for it.

When she had finished eating, Peeta poured the hot water that had been heating on the stove into a bucket and carried it into their bedroom. She followed him with the baby. After he left, Katniss set the Lavinia onto the center of the bed, while she stripped and gave herself a sponge bath, and then used the water to wash Lavinia clean, as well.

Afterwards, she laid the child back into her cradle to rest. The tiny girl's eyes were closing and Katniss sat on the edge of the bed watching until Lavinia drifted off to sleep.

She walked to the window, pulling the curtains aside, and stared out. It was overcast. She rested her hand on the thin glass pane that was wet with condensation.

If she were to wash the bedding today, it would not be dry by this evening. She and Peeta would be sleeping on damp sheets. The laundering would have to wait for another day.

She carried the bucket back to the kitchen.

Delly was there now, drinking coffee and gobbling biscuits.

"Where's the baby?" Delly asked.

"She's sleeping," Katniss said sharply.

A curious looked crossed Peeta's face.

"I'm going to polish the bed frame," Katniss told Peeta as she made a paste of flour, salt and vinegar, and took a clean rag from the shelf.

It was a couple of hours later before she was satisfied with the sheen on the brass. Her fingers were raw and a bit stiff from the work.

Lavinia had woken up nearly an hour earlier, and Katniss had plopped her in the center of the bed and sang to her softly while she continued to shine the brass.

When she finished, she stretched out on the bed to play with Lavinia for a few minutes, before picking the child up and carrying her back to the kitchen to get more milk to feed her. A few of Effie's girls were sitting at the table eating biscuits.

They were wearing their dressing robes. Only Octavia had taken the time to pin her red hair up. The others, Jo, Glimmer, and Leevy, looked like they'd come straight from bed. Jo's spiky bangs were going in every direction, Glimmer's long blonde locks were tousled and messy across her shoulders, and Leevy's dark curls were twisted to one side of her head.

Peeta wasn't there; he was probably at Sae's restaurant working his second job as a baker. Katniss was glad. While their living arrangements were generous, it bothered Katniss that the women walked around in their fancy low-cut dressing gowns in front of her husband.

Without their faces painted, most of them were pretty, although Katniss detected a deadened look in all of their eyes.

"So you're out of bed?" Jo asked sarcastically when Katniss walked into the kitchen carrying Lavinia.

Katniss nodded, and bit her lower lip, reminding herself to ignore Jo. The woman was insufferable. She often baited Katniss in conversation, as if looking for a fight. But she was also a friend of Gale's. Katniss wondered if Gale had paid a visit to her before he left. If so, Peeta hadn't mentioned it. But then again they'd barely spoken in the past month.

Katniss poured a cup of milk for Lavinia and took another clean rag from the shelf. Octavia was getting up from the table and offered Katniss her seat. Katniss sat down, and dipped the rag into the milk for the child to suck.

The women at the table stopped their conversation to watch her feed Lavinia.

"I'm going to have one of those someday," Leevy said to the assembled group. "Can I feed her?"

"No," Katniss hissed. Lavinia was not a toy to practice on.

She glared at Leevy, whose face wore a look of disappointment. She turned her focus back to Lavinia and ignored the women around her.

Eventually they got up and left, but not before Jo threw in a final jab, "You'll be sorry you turned away the help," she nodded toward Lavinia. "That baby will take over your life."

When Lavinia finished eating, Katniss took her back to the room, changed her diaper, and laid her down in the cradle. Already Jo's words were eating at her because she knew the woman was right. Katniss wanted to go outside and take a walk. She'd been closeted inside for so long.

But it was raining now, she could hear the drumming on the roof, and the baby was sleeping. Instead, she pulled out a needle and thread and set to mending a small tear in Peeta's second shirt, and then sewing the buttons on more tightly. She wasn't much of a seamstress; her sister Prim was the talented sewer in the family. But she could make basic repairs. However her fingertips were sore from polishing the brass, so the simple task took much longer than usual.

When she was done, she folded up Peeta's shirt and put it away. Peeta was lucky to have a spare shirt. All of their clothing, except for what they had been wearing, had been destroyed in the fire.

Peeta had picked up the extra shirt off the ground at her family's campsite. Her mother and Aunt Hazelle had been the camp's laundresses and had clotheslines strung up around the site. The lines had fallen to the ground when the trees they were tied to had caught fire. The clothing that had survived the fire had gone unclaimed, as the miners had fled the camp.

Katniss had been less fortunate. She only had one dress of her own. Effie had loaned her a second dress when they'd moved into the brothel. Katniss had hemmed it, since Effie was taller, but it fit oddly. It was too loose on top for Katniss' tastes. But then her body had been growing rounder with the baby so the bad fit hadn't been as noticeable. Now after a month in bed recovering from her loss, she was even thinner than before she had gotten pregnant.

She sat on the bed staring at the sleeping Lavinia. Might as well keep busy. She returned to the kitchen to retrieve the broom and another rag so she could continue cleaning the room. Afterwards, she lay on her bed staring at the painting of the meadow, while Lavinia slept.

She was lost in her thoughts, when the door opened and Peeta stood there.

"Are you all right?" he asked nervously.

Startled, her eyes flew from the artwork to Peeta's worried face.

"Just taking a break."

His eyes glanced around the room. "The bed frame looks very shiny. You did a good job."

She smiled faintly at his praise.

"How's Lavinia been?" He stared at the cradle, studying the child who looked to be waking up.

"Sleeping mostly. I fed her again, though."

"Good."

A cry sounded from the tiny bed. Peeta scooped up the child, cradling her in his arms.

A sharp pain pierced Katniss' chest as she watched Peeta rock the child. It should have been their baby, not Madge's. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes and she looked away quickly, blinking rapidly before Peeta could notice them.

"Rye and Finnick and Annie are at the restaurant right now," he said. "Their camp broke up. I thought you'd like to go over and visit with them."

Katniss hadn't seen them since the day after the fire when everyone had gone their separate ways.

"I'd like too," Katniss said. "But it's still raining. I can't take Lavinia out in the rain. Will they come here?"

Peeta shook his head. "I suggested it but Annie refused. I guess there are too many bad memories for her in this house. But Delly could watch Lavinia."

Katniss scowled. She didn't want Delly near the baby.

"Actually Effie wanted Delly to spend some time with her," Peeta explained. "It was one of the conditions of her allowing us to keep Lavinia here."

Katniss glared at Peeta. Why would he agree to a condition like that? In her opinion, Delly was a flighty, flirty girl who had no real skills except to collect gossip about others and spread it as far and wide as she could. She couldn't take care of a baby.

"She's hungry," Peeta said. "Delly could feed her. She's already done that."

It would be nice to get out of this house and see Annie.

"Please Katniss," Peeta implored.

Katniss saw frustration on his face and immediately she felt guilty for everything she'd put Peeta through. She could tell it would mean so much to him if she met with his brother and their friends.

"All right," Katniss said. "But I can't stay too long."

'No, that's fine," Peeta agreed.

They left the baby with Delly, and walked down the muddy street to enter the restaurant. Both of them were drenched when they entered it. Rye, Finnick, and Annie were drinking coffee.

The men stood as she came to the table and Annie smiled broadly and waved her hand. Katniss could see that Annie's belly had grown considerably in the two months they'd been apart. Immediately she was sad, wondering if Peeta had told them about the baby she had lost.

But Annie interrupted her thoughts asking about Lavinia, and Katniss found herself describing the feeding of the motherless child.

"Maybe I can see her tomorrow," Annie said, explaining that they had gotten rooms in the small boarding house.

"I though that place was filled up," Katniss said. It had been packed when the mining camp had burned down. That was the reason she and Peeta had agreed to accept lodgings in Effie's house.

"It's practically empty now," Finnick interjected. "Everyone is heading west for the winter. It's too cold and wet to mine. We'd be traveling as well, but it's easier to stay here with Annie's condition."

Peeta nodded. "Dirty District 12 was almost deserted last winter. It was cold and we had one good snowstorm and a few days of heavy rains, but it wasn't so bad. Certainly not as wet as this." He glanced toward the tiny window in the front of the restaurant.

"If it keeps up you'll probably be minding that baby longer than a few weeks," Rye said. "It might be difficult for Gale to get back."

"Are you staying in town for the winter, too?" Katniss questioned Rye.

"Yes," he said.

Katniss saw a flash of irritation cross Peeta's face. She knew he was worried about his brother. Rye liked to play cards. Back in the Dirty District 12 mining camp, he'd spent most of his free time playing.

Before the Hawthorne family had arrived, he'd gambled away most of the gold he'd found. However when Peeta had agreed to court Katniss, Rye had begun to play cards with her cousins, the Hawthornes. Her Aunt Hazelle refused to allow the men to gamble and Rye had been able to save his money. If he stayed in town for the winter with nothing to do, he'd inevitably be drawn into the card games in the saloon and end up losing it all again.

"Don't you want to go back to Oregon and visit the family?" Peeta suggested, half-mockingly.

Rye shook his head. "What about you? You're the successful one with a wife and some savings."

Peeta shook his head. Katniss doubted Peeta felt successful. Not with a wife who lost their baby and a business that had burned down.

"I'm going to be available to do sewing," Annie said. "Would you pass the word along to the others."

Katniss knew that Annie meant her to tell the women who worked at Effie's house. Annie also made beautiful lace, and had made some fancy undergarments for the prostitutes in the past. She'd picked up the skill in her native France.

"I will," Katniss promised. "But could I hire you make a dress for me first? I borrowed this one from Effie and it doesn't fit right."

Annie nodded. "Thom has some fabric in his store. Maybe we could pick some out."

Katniss nodded, although she wondered what type of fabric Thom would have since there were so few women in the area. She didn't want a dress made of tent canvas.

The group broke into two conversations, the men telling Peeta about the new mining camp they'd joined, and Annie asking Katniss more questions about Lavinia and about living at Effie's house.

Eventually Peeta tapped Katniss' shoulder. "We need to go. I have to milk the cows and start dinner."

Panic fell upon Katniss as she realized how long they had been visiting. What kind of mother was she if she'd completely forgotten her responsibilities toward her charge? Delly must have finished feeding the baby a long time ago.

She stood up quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow Annie. I'll bring Lavinia if the rain stops."

When they returned, Delly and Leevy were playing a peek-a-boo game with Lavinia in the parlor.

Katniss scowled at the sight. "Peeta needs your help in the kitchen." She took the baby from Delly's arms.

"Can I hold her for a bit?" Leevy requested.

Katniss shook her head and left the room, bringing Lavinia back into her bedroom. She changed the baby's diaper and sat down in the center of the bed, holding Lavinia in her arms, singing softly to her. The child took a short nap, before waking up crying.

Thinking she was hungry again, Katniss carried her out into the kitchen to feed her. Delly was sitting at the table slicing carrots.

Peeta was at the stove stirring a large kettle. It smelled like stew, although Katniss wondered where Peeta had gotten the meat for it. She hadn't been hunting for over a month.

He turned when he heard her come into the room with the crying child.

"I wanted to try something first," he said, stopping Katniss as she reached for the fresh pitcher of milk that stood on the counter. "I made some mashed potatoes. I wanted to see if Lavinia would eat it."

"All right," Katniss said reluctantly. She sat down at the table and set the child on her lap.

Peeta pulled a dish off the shelf and a spoon from the box of silverware that sat on the counter. He went to the stove and scooped up a portion of the white pasty substance and carried it to the table.

"It's cooled down," he said, putting the plate in front of Katniss and handing her the spoon.

Delly stopped working for a moment to watch, as Katniss lifted the spoon to Lavinia's mouth. She gently pressed on the child's lips to nudge them open. But Lavinia didn't seem to know how to lick the food off of the spoon.

"I don't think she wants it," Katniss said, setting the spoon back onto the plate.

"Maybe she can't use a spoon yet," Delly suggested. She picked up the carrots, she'd sliced and put dropped them into the stew pot.

"I think you're right Delly," Peeta said. He dipped his index finger into the mashed potatoes, scooping up a tiny portion of the paste, and shoved it into Lavinia's open mouth. Eagerly the girl sucked on his finger, making a smacking sound when she had finished.

Peeta pulled his finger out of Lavinia's mouth. "You'll have to feed her with your fingers," he told Katniss.

Katniss' face was warm as she dipped a finger into the potatoes and put it into the child's mouth. Why would Peeta make her look foolish in front of Delly?

When she had finished feeding the baby, Peeta set a bowl of stew with a spoon in it onto the table for her.

"I can hold her while you eat," Peeta offered.

"Oh, I want to hold her," Delly whined.

"Why don't you tell everyone that dinner's ready," he suggested.

Delly sighed dramatically and flounced out of the room.

Katniss handed Lavinia to Peeta who put the child over his shoulder, holding her up with one hand and stirring the stew with the other.

She ate quickly, burning her tongue on the hot stew, but not caring. She didn't want to be sitting here with the other women when they came in and cooed over Lavinia. She wanted to take the child back to her room.

There was no set dinnertime gathering in Effie's house. Generally, Peeta and Delly prepared dinner early and told the others when it was done. Each woman came to the kitchen and ate when she had the time, sometimes when taking a break between customers.

Delly always carried Effie's meal into her room. Effie didn't associate socially with her employees, except to break up arguments. Sometimes Delly joined her aunt for the evening meal.

Effie's house had a fancy dining room with a mahogany table and hand-carved chairs surrounding it, but Katniss had never seen anyone sit at the table to eat since she and Peeta had moved in. Maybe Effie saved it for special occasions like Christmas.

"I'll take Lavinia now," Katniss said, standing up when Delly and Leevy entered the kitchen.

Back in the room, she played with the baby on the bed, putting Lavinia into her cradle when the child's eyelids grew heavy. She hoped Peeta would be return soon. After cleaning up the kitchen, he usually retired early. Neither of them liked to be outside of their room, once business got underway in the house. Besides the cows got awfully loud if they weren't milked early.

The women usually went to the saloon to find customers to bring back to the house. But business tonight might be slow with the heavy rain. Besides with many of the camps shutting down, most of the miners were leaving the area.

Katniss sat on bed and stared at the painting of the meadow. In the candlelight, the shadows that fell across artwork suggested shapes. If she squinted just right she could picture Madge holding a tiny baby in her arms.

Cheered at the thought, Katniss leaned over the bed to see Lavinia turn onto her side. Her chest slowly moved up and down as she slept. Katniss stared at the tiny babe until she heard the door open. It was Peeta.

"Ah, she's asleep," he said, glancing at Lavinia.

Katniss nodded.

Peeta sat down on the bed and bent over to untie his shoes. Katniss watched as he took them off and set them neatly next to the wall. Next off was his button-down shirt, which he draped over the upholstered chair. Last came his pants, which he placed on top of his shirt.

He stood up to open the window a crack. A slight chill entered the room immediately, as well as the smell of damp earth caused by the rain.

He sat on the bed, in his undershirt and drawers, and looked at Katniss. "Are you sleeping in your clothes?" he teased.

She shook her head and slowly unbuttoned her borrowed dress and then stood up, turning her back to Peeta to step out of it. She turned back and pulled down the blanket before climbing in the bed.

Katniss wished she could curl up with Peeta's arm around her and go to sleep, but he was sitting on top of the blanket, facing her. She guessed he wanted to talk. This used to be her favorite time of the day. They would share their thoughts, laughing over things that happened. They'd talk about the their dreams for the future. The conversations usually ended in whispers, and gentle touches, and kisses that often grew heated and led to more.

Until the last month most conversation had focused on their coming baby. But since then, there had been no heart-to-hearts. Peeta had tried to talk to her about what had happened a couple of times, but Katniss had scowled and ignored him, hiding her head under the blankets and turning her back to him.

"How was your day?" Peeta began.

"Fine," she muttered, wishing he would stop there. She didn't want to talk about her feelings and her actions, or lack thereof, over the past month.

"It was nice to see Rye and Annie and Finnick today," Peeta said. He studied her face intently as if he was gauging her emotions.

Katniss nodded in agreement. "Annie is going to make a dress for me."

"That's good."

Katniss looked away from Peeta, toward the painting of the meadow to watch the shadows from the candle flit about it.

Peeta was silent for a minute, before speaking. "Katniss, we need to talk about what happened."

She turned from the painting to face him. She could see the frustration on his face. Guilt fell upon her. He was a kind person.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I'm sorry that my body failed."

He shook his head. "I don't blame you," he said softly. "I think it might have been… my fault."

She was surprised at his comment. "How?"

"I think I was too affectionate…that is, too enthusiastic in my actions toward you."

It took her a moment to understand what he meant. "I don't think that was it," she murmured. "You never hurt me." She paused for a moment, her cheeks growing pink. "It felt… good."

They were both silent for a while. Peeta leaned back against the brass bed frame. "Well, in the future I'd feel better if we refrained ourselves if you're expecting."

It seemed like a silly request. Another pregnancy seemed so far away. "All right," she agreed. She sighed loudly, thinking the conversation had ended. She was ready to sleep.

But then Peeta leaned forward and grabbed at her hands "Katniss, when you feel sad promise you'll talk to me." He dropped her hands and looked away from her face. His voice dropped. "I can't go through another month like this last one."

Her cheeks burned.

He turned to stare directly at her. "You weren't the only one that hurt. It was my baby, too."

Katniss looked away and bit her lip, her eyes tearing up.

Peeta got off the bed and blew out the candles on top of the wardrobe. Katniss lay down under the blankets waiting for Peeta to get into bed and turn onto his side and wrap his arm around her. However, when he lay down, he turned the other way and didn't touch her. After a short while, she heard his breathing slow as he fell asleep.

**Author's Note: Prior to 1850, there was no ready-made woman's clothing available for purchase, only men's clothing. And all clothing was sewn by hand. Issac Merrit Singer designed his first marketable sewing machine in 1850. Entrepreneur Levi Strauss arrived in California with a supply of cotton tenting. Realizing that the miners were desperate for clothing, he hired a tailor and turned his roll of cloth into workpants. He continued to use canvas for many years, but he soon began importing a French fabric which we today call "denim." His pants, which are still made even now, are called "Levis."**


	3. Chapter 3 - Questions

**Chapter 3 – Questions**

Milking Effie's cows twice each day was a tedious chore, but it also provided Peeta a time to be alone with his thoughts, to ponder on the happenings in his life.

This morning he couldn't help but think about his actions the previous evening when he'd turned his back on Katniss. He'd never done it before. Even when she refused to get out of bed over the past month, he'd always pulled her close to his side before falling asleep.

But last night, as he was speaking to her, he'd become so overwhelmed with frustration at her giving up and leaving him to pick up the pieces of their life that he'd lashed out in the only way he could think to, by physically pulling away.

He didn't want to fight with his wife. He was glad she appeared to be finding her way out of her grief, but he was worried. When Gale returned to claim Lavinia, would Katniss return to her bed?

Peeta also wondered at the strange possessiveness Katniss was displaying toward the child. He hoped she would allow the other women to help her tend to Lavinia. He needed Katniss' help hunting. She could find more game in two hours than he and Sae's husband could in a couple of days.

Peeta sighed, as carried the two buckets filled with milk into the house. Despite everything that had happened he loved his wife tremendously. He was still amazed that of all the men in the Dirty District 12 mining camp, she'd married him, a man with a crippled leg.

He was preparing breakfast when Katniss appeared in the kitchen with Lavinia. He stopped his work to wrap his arms around her in an apology, crushing Lavinia between them. When he pulled away, he saw the confusion in her eyes. After last night, he wasn't surprised.

He smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

Katniss nodded. "Lavinia did too," she mumbled. "At least she didn't wake up."

"Must have been those mashed potatoes you fed her. She needs more than milk now."

Peeta gathered a cup of milk and a clean cloth and put them in front of Katniss who had sat down at the table to feed the child. After Lavinia drank the milk, Katniss fed her the leftover potatoes.

Delly came into the kitchen while Lavinia was eating. She sat down opposite to Katniss, drinking coffee while she watched the child eat.

"Can I have a turn?"

Katniss frowned. "I don't…"

Peeta interrupted, keeping his voice gentle so as to not upset his wife. "We need to do some hunting this morning before it starts raining again. How about if Delly watches the baby?"

Katniss grimaced, but she handed the baby over to the other woman. "Be careful," she warned Delly, who had placed the child on her lap and was bouncing her up and down. "If you keep jostling Lavinia like that she might lose her breakfast."

Delly stopped immediately. "I'll take good care of her," she promised.

Katniss gave her a skeptical look. She stood up. "Let's go hunting," she told Peeta.

With guns borrowed from Sae's husband, the two of them set out on foot. The ground was muddy so they couldn't take the horse and cart with them. This limited their search to smaller animals – squirrels, rabbits, and birds.

After taking down a squirrel with a shot to its midsection, which effectively ruined all the meat, Peeta gave up and let Katniss take charge. Her aim was precise, hitting all the creatures in the head.

Peeta carried the dead game in a canvas bag on his back. When it began to get heavy, he told Katniss they should return.

She agreed and the couple began walking back in silence. Katniss was normally quiet while they were hunting. But this silence gnawed at Peeta. He was still fearful of Katniss slipping back into her stupor of grief.

He tried to start a conversation but she didn't seem interested in talking. He wondered if she was still upset about his words the previous evening.

Before they reached town, he suggested she take Lavinia to the boarding house to visit Annie. He would take the game to Sae's restaurant and prepare it for cooking. Katniss agreed and the couple parted ways when they reached the restaurant.

Sae was excited about the fresh meat. She laughed for a full minute when Peeta showed her the squirrel he had shot.

"When will the girl get another bow?"

Katniss' bow and arrows had been destroyed in the mining camp's fire.

"I ordered one when we moved to town. Thom thinks it should be here in time for Christmas."

Sae took over the skinning and preparation of the meat, setting aside the pulverized squirrel plus a second, so Peeta could make a stew for the residents at Effie's house.

Peeta set to work baking, making the dough, kneading it, and forming loaves. He had just put a loaf into the oven when Rye and Finnick entered the restaurant talking loudly. Peeta could tell from the sound of his brother's voice that he was excited. The two men sat down at the table.

"What's ready?" Finnick called out to Sae. "We're starved."

Sae offered them coffee and pie. "I've got some cold beans you could have now. I've also got a nice squirrel stew cooking, but it will be a while before it's done."

"We can wait for the stew," Rye said. "I haven't had any meat in a long time."

"We'll start with the pie though," Finnick added.

Peeta left the cooking table and limped into the empty dining room. "What are you so excited about?"

Rye leaned forward and glanced back at Sae who was standing in the back of the room, stirring the stew. "Sit down, we'll tell you."

Finnick nodded. His eyes were bright. He was grinning broadly.

"We went back to the Dirty District 12 mining camp to look around," Rye said.

"Why?" Peeta asked, curiously.

"To see if anything useful was left behind," Finnick replied.

"You weren't the only one who buried your gold," Rye blurted out. He was referring to Peeta's decision to bury his savings in the dirt floor under his and Katniss' brass bed. Rye had helped Peeta dig it out after the fire. "Apparently some other miners had the same idea. Unfortunately they never got around to digging it up. The rain brought it to the surface. We made some good money today."

Rye pulled a large cloth bag from his pocket and opened it for Peeta to see. The bag was nearly filled to the top with gold nuggets.

Peeta's jaw dropped. That was a lot of gold to be left behind.

"And that's only my portion, Finnick's got the same."

Finnick pulled a similar pouch from his pocket to show Peeta.

"You know that gold might not have been buried by miners," Peeta suggested. He doubted that any miner would have simply forgotten his savings behind at the camp. "Vick found that large nugget practically lying on the surface of the ground. The heavy rains might be washing the gold up."

Rye glanced at Finnick. Both men cackled loudly.

"We have to go back," Finnick decided. "Is that stew almost ready?" he called to Sae.

Peeta stood up.

"Don't tell anyone," Rye hissed.

"I won't," Peeta promised his brother. For a moment he wished he'd spent more time searching the ground for a sparkle or flash while he and Katniss were out hunting this morning. It would have been nice to find a nugget or two.

He hoped his brother wouldn't gamble the gold away in a card game. He wondered if he should tell Katniss about it. Rye had told him to keep it a secret. But eventually Katniss would learn of it and likely be upset that he'd been keeping secrets from her.

But much later that evening, while they sat on their bed discussing their day, an animated Katniss told Peeta about the gold Finnick and Rye had found.

"Annie took most of Finnick's share for safekeeping," Katniss said.

Peeta laughed. He didn't think Finnick would waste the found gold by gambling or drinking it away. But the man had a casual attitude toward work and this find was probably the most gold he'd ever accumulated. Peeta couldn't blame Annie for setting it aside for the future. Annie had always been the more practical and hardworking of the pair.

"I wish someone would take Rye's portion and save it for him," Peeta admitted. "I'm worried he's going to gamble it away."

Katniss nodded and reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. Peeta smiled at her, happy that she appeared to be acting more like her old self.

"I guess you had a good visit with Annie, then?"

"We went to Thom's store to look for fabric. There wasn't much, but he did have some dark blue cotton muslin. We got extra to make a gown for Lavinia, too."

Peeta frowned. Lavinia was Gale's responsibility to clothe. He glanced toward the sleeping child. "Gale will be back soon," he said.

He saw a flicker of disappointment flash over Katniss' face so he quickly added, "you'll look very pretty in blue."

Katniss smiled. Peeta reached out to push a loose strand of hair around her ear. He leaned forward to kiss her lips, but Katniss twisted her head so that he kissed the side of her face.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, surprised at her reaction.

"I'm not ready for this," she said.

"All right," he murmured, as he pulled back. For a brief moment he wondered if she was being deliberately spiteful. But he didn't think so. If anything she was confused. He knew his wife, well enough, to realize that she simply needed time until her heart and her head were aligned. He hoped he wouldn't have to wait for long. He missed her and their time together.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peeta wasn't wrong about his brother visiting the saloon. Rye and Finnick showed up at the restaurant the next morning deep in conversation. Peeta took a short break from his baking to join them at the table.

"Your face is too expressive," Rye was telling Finnick. "You can't bluff someone when they can see in your eyes that you're excited as all get out about the hand you're holding. You need to keep yourself calm. Look at my eyes."

Finnick set his spoon down and stared deeply into Rye's blue eyes. "I don't get it. What am I supposed to be seeing?"

Peeta laughed. The conversation was absurd. "What's going on?"

"Last night this fool lost all the gold his wife let him hold," Rye said. He dipped his bread into the stew in front of him and took a bite.

"I just ran out before I started winning," Finnick explained.

"How did you do?" Peeta asked his brother, hoping Rye still had something left.

Rye swallowed. "I didn't play," he said. "I watched instead."

Peeta was surprised.

"I'm studying the players," Rye explained. "I learned some tricks while playing with your Hawthorne relations. It's important to know your opponents."

"There's a regular game that goes on at the saloon," Finnick explained. "The same three players. They invite others to join them. They're real good and they always win."

"Are they cheating?" Peeta asked.

"I don't think so," Rye said. "I was watching them while Finnick played. I think they're excellent players who lure the biggest fool they can into the game."

"How so?"

"They look around, see who pulls out a big sack of gold to pay for his drinks," Rye said. "Watch to see who's half-drunk already. Look for people bragging about their finds. That sort of thing."

Peeta looked at Finnick. "How did they lure you in?"

Finnick, who had lifted the spoon to his mouth, turned red.

Rye laughed. "They didn't do anything," he said. "Finnick asked to join their game."

"Why?"

Finnick's was beginning to match his bronze-colored hair. He swallowed his spoonful of stew, before answering. "I was feeling lucky after finding all that gold," he admitted. "I thought I might be on a streak."

Both brothers burst out laughing at the Irishman's explanation.

Peeta stood up. "Finish your stew before it's cold. I need to get back to work."

As he pulled a pan of biscuits from the oven, he realized that his brother had changed. While Peeta had been focusing on his business in the Dirty District 12 mining camp and enjoying his married life, Rye had gained some wisdom and matured. Peeta still felt like the more responsible of the two, but he also felt a little lighter. He didn't need to worry about Rye quite so much, which was a relief because he was responsible for Katniss and even Lavinia now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He went hunting again the next day with Katniss, leaving Delly to watch the baby. The ground was drier, and Peeta decided to risk the cart. They needed some bigger game, more than squirrels and rabbits. A deer would be ideal because it would provide enough meat to last for a while.

They were luckier than they'd hoped. Katniss shot an elk within an hour of their hunt. The good part: they weren't too far from town. The bad part: it weighed between four and five hundred pounds. There was no way that both of them could lift it into the cart.

Peeta and Katniss stood over the dead animal and stared at it for a long time.

"We'll have to gut it here and take the best parts," Katniss finally said. She began to unbutton her dress and pull it down from her shoulders.

Peeta's eyes widened. He sprang to her side. "What are you doing?" he choked out, his mind flitting off to thoughts much different than those necessary to the scene at hand.

"I'm saving Effie's dress from getting ruined," she explained. "This is going to be one messy job."

"Oh, right." He hadn't been with his wife for over a month now. He couldn't help his thoughts from straying. "But what if someone comes along?"

Katniss looked around. "There's no one here Peeta. Just us. If I hear someone coming I'll run behind that plant." She pointed to a scraggly sage bush. "You can toss the dress to me then."

He nodded dumbly.

Katniss stood in her chemise, drawers and boots. Peeta helped her position the creature onto its back. Starting at the animal's lower body she cut straight up the middle until she reached the throat area.

Peeta marveled that Katniss could so handily gut the animal. He was getting squeamish watching.

It took about an hour to field dress the elk, removing its internal organs. Peeta took over when he saw Katniss looking tired. Her hands were covered with blood and a red streak trailed across the side of her face where she'd inadvertently rubbed her hand across it.

To lighten the weight, Peeta cut off the limbs and carried them one-by-one into the back of the cart. Afterwards he positioned the cart as close as possible to the carcass. They dragged the body the rest of the way and then carefully lifted one end to the lip of the cart and then pushed the remainder onto it.

Peeta sighed in relief when the cart was loaded. It was a huge undertaking and there was still a lot more to do once they got the elk back to town.

His eyes flitted to his half-naked wife. "You should get dressed," he said. "You can't go into town like that."

"I was hoping we could take a detour to the stream so I could wash off first."

Peeta frowned. The stream was close to the edge of town, near to the large oak tree that was used to hang lawbreakers in District 12. He didn't want some miner seeing his wife in her undergarments as she made her way to wash.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Fine, then," Katniss muttered. She pulled Effie's dress over her head and buttoned it. Peeta could see the blood that covered her hands had transferred onto the front of the dress. "Let's get this to Sae's. I'll wash up at home."

He led the horse and cart back to town. Katniss followed alongside. She didn't speak and he knew she was upset, but he didn't understand why. She'd been covered in blood before when she'd gutted a kill. Why was she in such a hurry to wash off the blood this time?

It wasn't until much later when they'd finished butchering the elk behind the restaurant and returned to Effie's house that he understood why Katniss wanted to clean up before arriving back home. Most of Effie's girls were sitting in the kitchen eating when they walked in.

"What's that awful smell?" Jo shrieked. She looked directly at Katniss. "You stink."

The other women laughed at Jo's insult.

Katniss mouth formed into a thin line. Immediately she left in the direction of their bedroom.

Peeta glared at Jo. "Leave her alone," he muttered in Jo's direction before turning his back to fill two large pots with water to heat for washing.

Ever since they'd moved into the brothel, he'd made every effort to avoid the women who worked there. It hadn't been too difficult. He spent almost all of his time in the kitchen cooking or instructing Delly. The few interactions he'd had with Effie's other employees had been cordial. A large part of his day was spent at Sae's restaurant.

But judging from Jo's remarks and the womens' laughter, Katniss had been having a rougher time of it. He wished she had told him.

He left the kitchen in search of Delly. She was in the parlor, sitting in the rocking chair with Lavinia on her lap.

"Can you watch her a bit longer?" he asked. "Katniss shot an elk and we just finished butchering it. We need to clean up."

Delly nodded enthusiastically.

Peeta went back into the kitchen. Pouring the warm water from the stove into buckets, he carried them, along with some clean rags into their bedroom. When he got inside, Katniss was sitting in the chair in her undergarments. Her face had an odd expression, somewhere between angry and sad. Effie's bloodstained dress was lying on the floor.

He set a bucket down next to Katniss, handing her a clean rag. "Are you all right?"

"No." She stood up though, dipping the rag in the bucket and scrubbing the blood from her arms and hands. Once they were clean, she wiped away splatters that had fallen onto her calves.

"You have some on your face," Peeta noted, dipping his cloth into the other bucket of water and gently wiping it across Katniss' cheek.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"Don't listen ..." he began, but Katniss interrupted him to change the subject.

"You should clean up too." She turned her back to him, reaching into the wardrobe for fresh undergarments.

Cleaning his hands and arms, Peeta watched as his wife stripped. He noted her slender neck and the curve of her backside. They'd been apart for too long. He quickly moved forward, kissing the back of her shoulder.

Katniss jumped. "Not now." She sounded irritated.

Peeta stepped back rejected. Awkwardness fell over the couple as Peeta continued to wash up. After Katniss had put on her other dress and moved away from the wardrobe, Peeta took off his shirt and put on a clean one.

Katniss picked up both garments. "I'll soak these in cold water to get the blood out." She hurried out of the room.

Peeta followed her out, carrying the buckets full of dirty water. He emptied them, before milking the cows.

When he came in, Delly was in the kitchen feeding Lavinia marmalade jelly. The child was sucking loudly at Delly's index finger.

"Give her some milk," Peeta said, pouring a cup and giving Delly a clean rag.

The remainder of the day passed quickly. Peeta roasted some of the elk meat adding some potatoes and carrots to the pan. He prepared some biscuits for the next day's breakfast before retiring to his and Katniss' room.

Lavinia was nearly asleep when he got there. Katniss was laying her down in the cradle; the child's eyelids were falling shut.

"I guess Delly tired her out," Peeta commented.

Katniss frowned.

"What's wrong?" He sat on the bed and starred at her as she sat in the chair in the corner. He'd been frustrated by his wife's melancholic behavior. But this new moodiness was baffling him as well.

He waited for a few minutes, but Katniss didn't answer. He sighed loudly, undressed and climbed into bed. He was tired. He was going to sleep.

Katniss stood up and blew out the candles on the wardrobe and climbed into bed beside him.

As he wrapped his arm around her and closed his eyes, a flash of Katniss' naked backside entered his mind. Maybe she'd be more receptive to affection now.

But then he heard a slight gulp and what sounded like a quick sob. Was she crying?

"What's wrong?" he asked in a far gentler tone than before.

She turned and buried her face into his chest and it quickly grew wet with her tears. But she didn't answer him and he could only guess at what might be making her upset. Was it the insult of Jo and the laughter of the other woman? Was it some misplaced jealously of Delly's relationship with Lavinia? Or was she still mourning the loss of their child? Peeta wished he could read her mind so he could make things right.

Instead he rubbed circles on her back and kissed the top of her head. After a while, her breathing slowed and he sensed that she'd fallen asleep. He continued to hold her wondering what on earth was going on with his wife.

**Author's Note: Faro and Three-Card Monte were two of the most popular card games played during the California Gold Rush. Poker was not initially favored because of its slow pace, but gradually increased in popularity. Dice games, such as craps; and games with a spinning wheel, such as roulette, were also played.**

**A **_**chemise**_** was a wide-necked, short-sleeved shirt that fell between the upper calf and the knee. **_**Drawers**_** were the equivalent of underpants. They were cut with wide legs and and fell to the knee.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Other People's Business

**Chapter 4 – Other People's Business**

"This shade of blue will look lovely with your dark hair," Annie said. She held up the cloth next to Katniss' face.

Katniss smiled, running her fingers lightly across the soft fabric. She was sitting on Annie and Finnick's bed in the small room the couple rented in the boarding house. Lavinia sat on her lap, making cooing sounds, and grabbing at Katniss' skirt.

It was nice to get away from Effie's house and spend time with another woman who was her friend. She hadn't realized until now how much she missed female companionship, which was ironic because she had been living in a house full of women for the past two months.

But Effie's girls were not her friends. All of the women who lived and worked there had some tragedy in their past that had led them to become prostitutes. Delly had made a point of telling Katniss most of their stories in detail when she and Peeta had first moved in.

And while Katniss empathized with the women because she had suffered misfortune when her father died, and she and her mother and sister were left destitute in the mining camp, she didn't understand why they would resort to such demeaning conduct as to sell their bodies to men. Surely there was other, more respectable work to do. Her mother and aunt had made a decent living doing laundry for the miners. Her sister had worked as a seamstress.

But Katniss knew that the prostitutes got to live in a fine house and never went hungry. In Katniss' eyes, their choice of employment was another example of greed trumping morals – a problem that was rampant in California as everyone dreamed of getting rich.

She only wished that the women, Jo in particular, would leave her alone.

"Take off your dress," Annie said, interrupting her thoughts.

Annie would use Katniss' old dress as a pattern for the new dress she was making. Carefully, Annie laid the material out onto the wooden floor. Once Katniss had stripped down to her undergarments, Annie took her dress, spreading out the skirt to its fullest and pinned it to the fabric. Then she began to cut.

Afterwards Annie held up several pieces of cloth that when sewn together would form the skirt, bodice and sleeves.

"You make it look so easy," Katniss said, as she put her dress back on.

Annie laughed. "Well, it is to me, but there's still a lot of work. Can you sew?"

"Not very well," Katniss admitted. "Prim is the seamstress in the family."

"Too bad, I could get this done so much faster if I had another person to help." Annie began pinning the pieces together with the wrong side facing out. She paused for a moment, looking up at Katniss. "Have you heard from your mother or Prim?"

"No," Katniss murmured. "But when Gale gets back I'm sure I'll hear all about them." She hoped they were doing well.

It was no surprise that she hadn't received any letters, though. There was no regular mail service set up in the gold fields. A few private businesses had sprung up that would transport mail, but it was expensive and not particularly reliable. Family or friends who were traveling frequently passed along letters. Sometimes the suppliers who brought goods from San Francisco to the general stores would pass along mail, as well.

The women continued to talk while Annie threaded her needle and then basted the pieces together. After a while, Lavinia began to whimper.

"She's hungry," Katniss groaned. "I'll have to go back and feed her."

She said goodbye to Annie and returned to Effie's house. Peeta had boiled some carrots down to mush that morning. Katniss sat at the kitchen table, and put some on her finger, letting the child lick it clean. The aroma of carrots, sweet and spring-like filled the air.

When Lavinia was finished eating, Katniss took her to the room and laid the child down to sleep.

Katniss sat on her bed, staring at the painting of the meadow. She was thinking about Madge and her own dear baby, wondering how they spent their days in that heavenly meadow, when she was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. She guessed it was Delly coming to bother her about Lavinia.

She got up and opened it. Leevy.

The woman nervously held out a small cloth doll. "I made this for Lavinia."

Katniss reached for the doll and looked at it carefully, squeezing it between her fingers. It was spongy, obviously stuffed with old cloth. A face had been embroidered on the faded flowered fabric in dark thread.

Amazed at the delicate creation, Katniss rubbed her finger over the embroidered eyes, nose and mouth.

"I didn't add hair," Leevy explained. "I didn't want her to choke."

Katniss nodded at the woman's explanation, noting the serious look on her face. "It's lovely." She walked to the cradle and set the doll next to the sleeping child.

Leevy had taken a step into the room to look at Lavinia. She jumped back when Katniss turned toward her.

"Thank you," Katniss said, smiling at the woman.

Leevy mumbled something and then turned and closed the door.

Katniss returned to the bed, stunned at what had just occurred. She'd been so irritated with the women at the house because in her mind they thought of Lavinia as some kind of toy. But Leevy's gift, which has obviously taken some time to make, showed real affection toward the child.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peeta paid scant attention to the doll when Katniss showed it to him that evening before bed. He had other things on his mind.

"Sae said that Rye and Delly were out walking today," he announced. "She saw them when she was coming back from Thom's store. She said they were heading in the direction of Dirty District 12."

"Maybe they were looking for gold that washed up onto the ground," Katniss suggested.

"Delly, looking for gold? I don't think so," Peeta said. "More likely looking to latch onto someone with some gold, like my brother."

Katniss burst out laughing. She glanced toward Lavinia to be sure she hadn't woken the child. She'd never seen Peeta so worked up over a piece of gossip. Katniss didn't like Delly much. She'd watched the woman shamelessly flirt with Peeta on many occasions, both before and after their marriage. She'd suspected Delly had a crush on Peeta. She wondered if Delly was chasing Rye because of the slight resemblance he and his brother had. "I didn't think your brother was a fan of Delly's."

"He isn't," Peeta admitted. "That's why I don't understand why he'd be spending any time with her."

"It is curious. But it's probably entirely innocent. Look at us. We were only hunting and everyone turned it into something more."

"Because it was something more." Peeta smiled at her, squeezing her hand. "That's what worries me about this." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I can't figure out what Rye is doing."

"Why don't you ask him?"

Peeta frowned. "I guess that would be the obvious thing to do."

They were sitting on the bed, still dressed, facing each other. "How was _your_ day?" he asked changing the topic entirely.

"It was good," she said, thinking back to her tears the previous evening. She was grateful that Peeta hadn't called attention to them. She'd been so emotional lately as she tried to make her way back from the blackness that had surrounded her for the past month.

But it had been a fine day. Spending time with Annie had cheered her considerably. And Leevy's gift for Lavinia had been a pleasant surprise. Even now sitting on the bed talking to Peeta, being able to laugh again, made her feel like herself.

"I'm glad," Peeta said.

He leaned in to kiss her and without thinking she accepted his warm lips, letting out a soft sigh as they came together. They had been apart for so long. She'd forgotten how much she needed this. How much comfort Peeta could provide if she only allowed him. He pulled away, a question appearing in his eyes. She answered him by cupping her hands around his face to pull him back. Things quickly grew heated between them and finally they were one again.

Afterwards, when the candles had been blown out, she curled up into Peeta's side, his arm tight around her. She was glad for the darkness because she was growing teary. Not tears of sadness and frustration, like the evening before, but tears of happiness as she thought about the love she and her husband shared. It would help them conquer anything.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Katniss paid a short visit to Annie the following day. Her friend had basted together the entire dress and wanted Katniss to try it on so she could size it properly.

"What's that the baby is holding?" Annie asked.

Katniss showed her the doll Leevy had made.

Annie studied it carefully and turned it over in her hand. She pulled at the doll's seams. "These are tiny stitches." She ran her fingers over the doll's face. "Her embroidery is quite nice as well. I wonder if she'd be interested in helping me. I could pay her."

"Would Effie allow it?"

"Probably not. But she doesn't have to know. Bring her with you tomorrow."

Katniss frowned. She didn't want to befriend the woman, but she did want her dress to be finished. If Leevy could help Annie, the work would go much quicker.

"All right," she agreed.

Katniss spoke privately with Leevy before supper. Leevy agreed to accompany Katniss to visit Annie. Relieved, Katniss allowed the woman to feed Lavinia supper.

"Oh you sweet baby," Leevy chirped as Lavinia sucked at the milk cloth. Unfortunately Delly walked into the kitchen in the middle of Lavinia's feeding.

"That's my job," Delly pouted. "I'll be a mother before you know it; I need the practice."

Peeta was pulling a pie from the oven as Delly was speaking. When he heard her comments, he dropped the pie face down onto the floor. The sharp, sweet smell of hot strawberries blanketed the room.

Katniss snorted loudly and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Peeta turned to glare at his wife, and she put her hands over her mouth to hold it shut.

But Delly seemed unaware of the couple's reaction to her comments. She continued to complain to Peeta as he cleaned the sticky fruit off of the wooden floor. "I'm very good with babies; I'll make an excellent mother."

"I'm sure you will Delly," Peeta muttered. "By the way where were you when I was cooking dinner? You were supposed to be making this pie."

"I was out walking with an admirer," she bragged. "You even know him."

Peeta's face grew flushed. After cleaning the floor, he handed Delly a tray with Effie's supper on it. "Bring this to your aunt."

Katniss took Lavinia from Leevy and carried her back to the room before Delly returned. She prepared the child for bed, rocking her and singing to her sweetly until the girl's eyelids began to close.

Once Lavinia was asleep, Katniss sat on the bed waiting for Peeta. She hoped he wouldn't be too upset. But when he slammed the door and noisy locked it, she guessed he was.

"You need to talk your brother and find out what's going on," Katniss said. "You know Delly's prone to exaggeration."

Peeta didn't answer. Instead he undressed and tossed his clothes over the chair in the corner of the room. He sat down on the bed in his underclothes and dropped his head into his hands and groaned.

Katniss couldn't help but chuckle at her husband's reaction. Peeta was always so steady, solid as rock. It was funny that Delly could get him so frazzled.

"That's true, " Peeta admitted. "But still, if she went walking with him twice in two days something is definitely up."

Eager to end the conversation, Katniss readied herself for bed, undressing and settling underneath the blankets. Peeta got up, blew out the candles, and opened the window. A gust of cold air blew into the room, making her shiver.

"Do you have to keep it open? It's cold."

Ignoring her, Peeta joined her under the covers, putting his face to her ear. "I can warm you up," he whispered as he reached for her hip to turn her to him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leevy brought her sewing needle with her so she could join Annie in the construction of Katniss' new dress. The three women, along with baby Lavinia, worked in the small confines of Annie's room. While Annie and Leevy sat on the bed sewing, Katniss perched in the wooden chair and played with Lavinia for a while, before setting her on the floor and attempting to knit a scarf.

Leevy did most of the talking, answering questions posed by Annie. She had come to work at the brothel after Annie had left Effie's employment, so the two women didn't know each other.

Delly had told Katniss that Leevy had traveled to California by wagon train with her husband to search for gold. After her husband died unexpectedly, Leevy had come to work for Effie.

When Katniss had originally heard the story, she'd been dismissive of the woman's choice of employment, suspecting Leevy was a woman of immoral character. But as Leevy spoke about her past, Kantiss' throat tightened in fear. She realized that she, too, could very easily end up in the same situation as Leevy, if something were to happen to Peeta. The only difference between the two women was that Katniss had some savings, as well as family in California to help her.

Leevy hadn't had those things. She had been left penniless, after the death of her husband. They hadn't even owned the tent they'd been living in. Leevy had one offer of marriage from a penniless miner old enough to be her father, who spent his spare time getting drunk at the saloon. She turned it down. Working for Effie, degrading as it might be, meant she would have regular meals, a place to live, and a way to earn money to return to her family who lived in Kentucky. Leevy was eager to help Annie because every penny she earned would bring her closer to home.

By the time they'd finished for the day, Katniss realized that like Annie, Leevy hadn't chosen to live the life of a prostitute. She was simply a victim of circumstance in a society that had left poor, single woman without families with no real alternative. The thought made Katniss ponder the plight of the other women in Effie's house. Maybe some of them were more than trollops.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three weeks had come and gone since Gale had dropped Lavinia off with them. But he hadn't returned. It wasn't surprising since the weather had been wet.

Katniss didn't mind though. Christmas was a few days away and she hoped Lavinia would be with her and Peeta for the holiday. It would make the day special to have a child around. Katniss also planned to wear her new dress on Christmas, and for Lavinia to wear the matching blue gown Annie had made.

Christmas Eve was sunny, the first dry day in a week. Effie asked Peeta to look for a small fir tree to cut down and place in her parlor to celebrate the season. Delly spent the afternoon decorating it with a string of popped corn and tiny ornaments she made from colored paper. The other women took turns helping Delly, but most wanted to hold Lavinia on their laps or play with the child on the carpet. Feeling generous, Katniss allowed it.

Besides she needed to help Peeta in the kitchen. He was making a variety of baked goods, sweet rolls for a big breakfast for the residents of Effie's house the next morning, and cookies for an open house that Effie was holding Christmas afternoon for the men who were still in the area. Christmas was a day of work for the woman in the brothel. Haymitch's saloon would also be open.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged their gifts to each other privately on Christmas Eve after Lavinia had fallen asleep. The bow and arrows Peeta had ordered for Katniss had finally arrived and she was overjoyed when he pulled them out from underneath the bed and gave them to her.

He had also purchased another pair of gloves to replace the ones that he'd given her for Christmas the previous year that had been destroyed in the fire.

Annie and Leevy had helped Katniss knit a scarf for Peeta. It was the same dark blue color as the cap she'd knitted for him the previous year. Fortunately that cap had been stuffed in his coat pocket on the day of the fire, so it had survived.

When Peeta opened his gift, he smiled broadly. "This reminds me of last Christmas."

Katniss flushed. She and Peeta had kissed for the first time on Christmas Day. She remembered the kiss had been sweet and gentle, but she also remembered an argument afterwards, and that she hadn't spoken to him for a week.

But if Peeta remembered the fight, he didn't mention it. Instead he set the scarf down on the bed and pulled her toward him. This kiss wasn't sweet like their first kiss. It wasn't gentle at all, and when it and the resulting actions that followed were finally over Katniss lay tucked into Peeta's side drowsy with sleep.

Christmas morning rushed by giving Katniss little time to think on Christmas' past or about how much she missed her family. Effie instructed Peeta to set out breakfast in the dining room. Everyone was awake earlier than usual. The women came downstairs completely dressed and coiffed. They piled the food onto plates, sweet rolls, scrambled eggs, fruit compote, and elk sausage. Along with a cup of strong coffee sweetened with sugar and cream, they carried their meal into the parlor where gifts were exchanged among them.

All of them had remembered Lavinia, and Katniss was surprised to see that the child had received a number of useful gifts, including a tiny patchwork blanket, some booties, and a toy rattle.

After the presents were exchanged, Effie led the women in song, _Joy to the World_ and _Adeste Fidelis_. Most didn't know the words, but Effie and Delly sang loudly to make up for the lack of voices. Katniss joined in and she noticed Peeta grinning at her.

"You have such a beautiful voice," he whispered when the singing had ended and the women returned to their rooms.

She and Peeta cleaned up the parlor and the dining room, while Delly fed Lavinia. They set out platters of cookies in the dining room for the open house that afternoon.

When they had finished, they took Lavinia from Delly and set out on a walk. The sky was cloudy and a slight wind blew, but it was dry.

They stopped at the boarding house first to visit with Annie and Finnick and Rye in the house's parlor. Peeta had wrapped up some cookies to bring to them. They visited for a while, and admired a second gown Annie had made for Lavinia from a flowered fabric.

"She's going to have the biggest wardrobe in town," Katniss laughed, telling the others about all of Lavinia's Christmas presents.

"Gale will need to bring a cart to take away her things when he gets back," Rye joked.

Katniss felt a stab of pain through her chest as she thought of the terrible day ahead when Gale returned to claim his daughter. She glanced at Peeta. His face had a grave expression and she wondered if he had the same thoughts as her.

In a very short time Katniss had gotten attached to Lavinia. She'd already lost one baby; although that one had been a dream she'd never even got to hold. But Lavinia was a real, flesh and blood baby that cried and cooed and Katniss didn't know how she could bear to lose this little girl as well. She wondered if María had felt the same loss when the Mexican mining camp had broken up and Gale had taken Lavinia away. But María had other children, one only a month older than Lavinia. Maybe she'd been relieved to have one less child to care for.

Annie grew tired after a while, excusing herself and going upstairs to rest. Finnick followed shortly.

"We should leave," Peeta told his brother. "We wanted to take a walk before the open house at Effie's this afternoon. I need to be around to be sure the food table stays stocked."

"Maybe I'll see you there later," Rye said.

Peeta pursed his lip. Katniss knew he was irritated; that he suspected Rye was going there to meet up with Delly.

"All right, maybe we'll see you later," Peeta said curtly.

They left the boarding house and began walking in the direction of their old home, the Dirty District 12 mining camp. The road was muddy in spots and Katniss, who held Lavinia, found herself awkwardly lifting her new skirt with one hand to avoid the hem from trailing in the mud. Peeta took the baby from her, resting Lavinia's head over his shoulder, so Katniss could use both hands to hold her skirt up around her ankles.

"Do you think Dirty District 12 will be rebuilt?" she asked as they made their way down the road.

"I don't know," Peeta admitted. "The men were moving further downstream to pan before the fire. If it's rebuilt it probably won't be in the exact spot."

"Are we moving back there?" She and Peeta had never discussed their future plans past the winter months. Once spring arrived and the miners returned to work the streams, rivers, and even the hills, business would pick up considerably at the brothel and Katniss and Peeta's room would be needed.

"I've been thinking about what Thom said last year," Peeta admitted. "Maybe I should build a bakeshop in town instead of in a camp. We could put a room in the back to live in, like Sae and her husband did. I'm thinking the town might be ready to grow."

Katniss thought it over. It was good to have some idea of the future. Since her miscarriage, she'd felt like she was floating along. Having an idea of what the future might hold was a comforting thought. Peeta's promises weighed down her anxieties and gave her a spark of hope.

They didn't talk for a while, until Katniss broke the silence. "Are you looking at the ground for gold?"

Peeta laughed. "Ever since Rye and Finnick found that gold, I can't help but look down."

Katniss joined in laughing. "Well, be careful you don't want to drop Lavinia."

"I'll be careful," he paused for a moment before adding, "it will be hard to give her back to Gale when he returns."

Katniss glanced at him. His face wore a thoughtful expression.

"I know," Katniss murmured.

"Well, maybe we'll have her a bit longer," Peeta consoled. "The weather has been awful. I'm still not sure how Gale would be able to travel with her on horseback for very long."

Katniss hoped Peeta was right. After walking a mile or so, Peeta suggested they head back to town. "It's getting late. I imagine Effie's already thrown open the doors."

Katniss frowned. She was glad for the chance to get outside for a while today because when they returned she and Lavinia would be staying in their room to avoid the customers.

When they got back, Katniss got some milk and some mashed vegetables Peeta had prepared in advance and took them into their room to feed Lavinia. Peeta added more cookies to the table and started brewing a pot of coffee on the stove in case the men wanted a cup.

After Lavinia had fallen asleep, Katniss carried the dirty cup, bowl and spoon into the kitchen to wash them up. She was putting them away on the shelf when a man approached her from behind.

"You're new here aren't you?" he sidled up to her, his warm breath on her ear. The aroma of alcohol surrounded him. Katniss froze, panicked as the man's arms encircled her waist. Why had this customer wandered into the kitchen?

"Let go," she said sharply, trying to twist herself away from the man's grip.

"Playing hard to get. I like that." His arms grasped her tighter and he pulled her backwards toward him.

"Get your hands off of my wife," Peeta shouted. His voice was loud and angry.

The man loosened his grip and turned around to face Peeta. He let go of Katniss when he saw Peeta's fist coming at his face.

"What the…" the man began. When Peeta's blow struck his cheek, the man immediately retaliated and swung at Peeta. Instinctively Katniss reached for the man's arm to stop him from hitting her husband.

While she was able to prevent the blow from making contact with Peeta's face, the man's elbow hit Katniss' chin.

A few other men had entered the kitchen hearing the commotion of a fight underway. In the melee, Peeta was able to pull Katniss away from the man and push her through the milling crowd, down the short hallway and into their room.

"Are you all right?" he asked as soon as they were behind the closed door.

"Yes," she said, rubbing her chin, which had a red mark from where the man's elbow had struck her.

"I'm so sorry," he said, tenderly touching her chin. "You shouldn't have been out there. Most of those man are drunk."

"I was washing Lavinia's dirty plates," she explained, before the memory of what had just happened set in and she began to shake.

Peeta pulled her to his chest, hugging her tight.

Overwhelmed by what had happened, Katniss clung to him wanting to erase the memory of what had occurred in Effie's kitchen. She buried her nose in his chest, drowning her senses in his scent. "I wish we could move into the boarding house," she whimpered.

He kissed the top of her head and she leaned back and kissed his face, eager to replace the offensive aggressor's hot breath and tight grip with Peeta's soft lips and embracing touch.

A knock on the door caused them to jump apart. Holding his hand, Katniss nervously followed Peeta to the door as he opened it. When she saw the man that was standing there, she gasped and dug her nails into Peeta's palm. The day, which had begun so pleasantly and taken a sharp turn so rapidly just a few minutes earlier, was now in Katniss' eyes a calamity.

**Author's Note: Prostitution was one of the ways a woman could support herself during the California Gold Rush. However the job had obvious risks including the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, chiefly syphilis; and pregnancy. Curious readers may wonder how the women working in this business avoided pregnancy, although some even worked while pregnant. It seems logical that because of their job, prostitutes would be better informed about birth control. However in 1849, there were no truly reliable birth control methods. By the 1840s women could purchase Portuguese Female Pills (an abortifacient) or Madame Restell's Preventive Powders, but it's unclear whether either was effective. Condoms made of rubber were available, but they were thicker and rougher than those used today. Most men had little incentive to use them with a prostitute. Some women used douches made of ingredients such as alum, pearl ash, red rose leaves, carbolic acid, bicarbonate of soda, sulfate of zinc, potassium bitartrate, vinegar, lysol, or plain water. Tea made from the seeds of daucus carota, commonly known as queen anne's lace or wild carrot was known as a contraceptive if taken immediately after intercourse. Some women would insert a sponge dipped in vinegar or a small piece of lemon into their body. This method was thought to block and/or kill sperm. What we call today the "rhythm method" was known, as was "withdrawal." Abortion was also popular among all classes of society. It involved chemicals at home or a visit to a professional abortionist, but it could cause death. Apparently, though it was not seen as a moral issue at the time. It is believed, however, that many prostitutes used methods other than intercourse to satisfy their customers. In fact, one Gold Rush prostitute claimed to have had intercourse only one time in all her years in the trade. In the hopes of keeping my "T" rating, this writer will not go into detail to explain those methods. You'll have to use your imagination! **

**English writer Isaac Watts wrote the lyrics to **_**Joy to the World**_** in 1719. It was originally written as a song to celebrate the second coming of Christ, not the birth of Christ. As of the late 20****th**** century, the song is the most published Christmas hymn in North America. **_**Adeste Fidelis**_** is also known as **_**O Come All Ye Faithful**_**. The song is believed to have been written originally in Latin by English writer John Frances Wade and appears in a collection of music in 1751. The song was translated into English, becoming **_**O Come All**__**Ye Faithful**_** by Frederick Oakeley and William Thomas Brook in the early 1850s.**


	5. Chapter 5 - The Trouble With Relatives

_A note to the reader: In this chapter a character mentions a relationship between a white woman and a man of another ethnicity. While in present times this relationship would be perfectly acceptable; in California of 1849 it would have been quite scandalous._

**Chapter 5 – The Trouble With Relatives**

Reverend Undersee, the grandfather of Lavinia, was standing in the doorway of Peeta's and Katniss' room.

Peeta glanced at Katniss wondering at the pain she was inflicting on his palm. He wiggled his fingers, shaking his hand free of hers. "Good to see you sir," he said, extending his sore hand. The man shook it, causing Peeta to wince, as the reverend squeezed down on it.

"I understand my granddaughter is staying with you," the clergyman said. Peeta nodded.

"She's asleep now." Peeta turned and pointed at the cradle that sat at the foot of the bed.

The man stepped forward and Peeta took a step back to reach for Katniss' waist to guide her away from the cradle. She had positioned herself in front of it, as if she were guarding Lavinia.

Reverend Undersee bent over the cradle and put his hand out to touch the girl's strawberry- blond curls.

Katniss let out a tiny squeak at the minister's actions, and Peeta put his hand on her back to steady her. If there was one thing they both had figured out over the past few weeks it was never to waken a sleeping baby. It only meant a lot of crying, and it took a long while to get the child to return to her rest.

But Lavinia continued to sleep and the reverend stepped back. "She reminds me of her mother."

"So you know then?" Peeta asked. Madge had died four months earlier, within hours of Lavinia's birth. Reverend Undersee hadn't been there. In fact, he'd left shortly after Madge's marriage to Gale to begin preaching at the various mining camps. At the time of her death, no one knew where he was living.

"Yes," the man nodded sadly. "I came here via Sacramento City and ran into Gale and all of your family."

"How are they?" Katniss asked, excitedly.

"Do you think I might sit?"

"Yes, sorry," Katniss murmured. She pointed toward the chair in the corner of the room next to the wardrobe.

The man walked around the bed and took a seat. Peeta and Katniss sat on the edge of the bed facing him.

"I traveled down to the Los Angeles area and stayed for several months," he began. "There's a lot of sin and corruption there. Men who were thrown out of San Francisco for their lawlessness have made that town their home."

Katniss shifted her position on the bed beside him. Peeta hoped the reverend would get to the point soon because he could sense Katniss' impatience. The man had a very indirect way of speaking, mixing a sermon into a regular conversation.

"I saw Gale and the others at a church service," Reverend Undersee explained. "It was well attended. There are many churches in Sacramento City." He paused for a moment before adding, "I was saddened to learn about my daughter. But she is safe now in heavenly realms."

Peeta watched curiously as Katniss turned her head for a moment and glanced at the painting on the wall, before turning back. But he didn't have time to ponder it because the clergyman mentioned Katniss' miscarriage and began consoling her.

Katniss stiffened beside him as the reverend told her "that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh."

Peeta guessed Gale and Rory had told the family about their loss and then someone shared it with the minister. Judging from her reaction, Katniss didn't want to talk about it with the man.

Eager to change the direction of the conversation, Peeta interrupted. "How are Katniss' mother and sister?"

The man turned his attention from Katniss to Peeta. "Her sister looks to be fine, but her mother has developed an affectionate attachment to a Chinaman." The clergyman shook his head and looked down at a spot on the floor as if embarrassed.

Katniss let out a gasp at the reverend's comment about her mother and what it seemed to imply – that Mrs. Everdeen had become romantically entangled with a man from China. Peeta was surprised, as well. It was one thing to treat people from another country decently, but to associate with one so intimately was a very different matter.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a minute or two. "Will Gale be returning soon?" Peeta asked in attempt to reduce the tension.

"No," Reverend Undersee said, lifting his head to look at Peeta. "When he heard I was heading this way, he asked me to pass along word requesting that you watch Lavinia until spring when he can get back."

Peeta scowled. Gale was asking a lot of them. The longer Katniss took care of the girl, the longer they both grew to think of her as their own, the more difficult it would be when Gale returned.

"I'll be staying in District 12 for the winter though, so I can help with her as well."

Peeta nodded dumbly, wrapping his arm around his wife. Katniss was very particular about who she allowed to help her with the child. He wondered if she would let Reverend Undersee even hold his granddaughter unless he did it under her supervision.

"I don't want my granddaughter to be unduly influenced by her surroundings," he continued, waving his hand around the well-kept room.

A flush went up Peeta's neck. The four-month old had no idea she was living in a brothel. Despite the business that took place in the upstairs rooms, the child had been well cared for – fed, dressed and comforted by both he and Katniss, and also the women whose employment was so repugnant to the reverend.

If anyone was to blame for his granddaughter ending up in this place it was the baby's father, not Peeta and Katniss who had taken the child in out of simple kindness.

The reverend excused himself a few minutes later. The couple sat in silence, pondering the man's revelations. Peeta wondered at Katniss' reaction to such a mixture of information. She had equal reasons to be angry, sad, and even happy about their visitor's news.

Peeta decided to point Katniss in the direction of happy. He didn't want her angry and certainly not sad, especially when she looked so lovely in her new blue dress. He wanted to return to the moment just before they'd heard the knock on the door when his wife was kissing him.

"Well, we'll have Lavinia for a few months longer," he said cheerfully, his eyes looking in the direction of the sleeping child.

Katniss frowned. "My mother….I don't believe it."

"He's probably misinformed," Peeta reasoned. "I can't imagine your mother would…."

"But why would he say it?"

Peeta frowned and shook his head. "I don't know."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The morning after Christmas was quiet. After a night of revelry for the miners and work for the women, everyone was sleeping late.

Peeta moved about the kitchen preparing breakfast. Coffee was brewing on the stove. Biscuits were baking in the oven. Katniss sat at the table feeding Lavinia applesauce.

It had taken a lot of talking to calm Katniss down the previous evening after the reverend had left. Eventually though, Peeta had convinced her to write a letter to Prim to find out what was going on. Maybe one of Thom's suppliers could drop it off in Sacramento City on the way back to San Francisco.

"Peeta, you'll never guess what happened last night."

He turned to face Delly who had charged in the kitchen. The belt on her dressing gown was pulled tight and her yellow curls, tangled from sleep, had plastered themselves to the left side of her face. Dark circles hung under her eyes.

"Your brother won the card game at the saloon," she trilled. "He beat the regular players."

Katniss took her eyes off of Lavinia to frown at the woman. "How did you hear of it?" Katniss asked the question that Peeta was wondering as well.

Delly was not supposed to be visiting the saloon, especially at night. That was a technique Effie's girls utilized to bring in customers. Peeta knew Effie would be furious if she learned her niece had snuck out to watch a card game.

A coy smile appeared on Delly's face. "Rye brought me with him to the game."

Peeta turned back to the stove irritated. He needed to talk to Rye today about this. He wanted to know exactly what was going on between his brother and Delly. He'd put off talking about it with him long enough. He doubted his brother had any serious inclination toward her, but if he continued to lead Delly on like this it could have repercussions for him and Katniss.

The rain had returned in full force. Peeta's leg was already aching from the damp weather when he arrived at the restaurant to begin baking. He put the pain from his mind as he thought about going to visit Rye at the boarding house but he figured his brother would eventually make his way to the restaurant where he ate at least one meal each day.

The boarding house proprietor provided bread and coffee in the mornings and some kind of stew or soup for the evening meal, but the restaurant offered more variety. Residents of the boarding house made up the biggest portion of Sae's customers.

Rye, Finnick, and Annie came into together mid-morning. The diner was almost empty. Only two other men were seated and they were already eating.

Peeta frowned when he saw Annie with the men. Ideally he would have liked to speak with his brother alone, however, he would have spoken anyway in front of Finnick. But he did not want to have this discussion in front of Annie. It was not a conversation to have in front of a lady.

He took a break from his work after Sae had taken their orders and poured them some coffee.

"Hey Peetie," his brother called as he walked to the table.

Peeta gave a small smile that felt more like a grimace.

"You should have been to the saloon last night," Finnick said. "Your brother was magnificent." He clapped his hand onto Rye's back.

"What happened?" Peeta asked innocently, as he sat down.

"I beat the house players," Rye said. "Cleaned them out completely." He grinned broadly.

"How'd you do that?" Peeta asked, noticing that the two men at the other table had stopped eating to listen to their conversation.

"I studied them carefully and did my research."

"Research?"

Rye nodded. His face beamed and Peeta could tell he was pleased with himself. His voice lowered. "Delly filled me in. It seems they are all patrons of her aunt's fine establishment."

Peeta was puzzled. What kind of information would Delly have about those men that could help Rye in his card game?

"It seems it wasn't quite as legitimate a game as I thought," Rye explained in the same quiet voice. "There was cheating going on, signals and such. Delly knew because two of them had bragged to the women about it. Seems there's some talking going on in those rooms, too."

Out of the corner of his eye Peeta noticed Annie's cheeks turn pink. Annie had worked at the brothel for a short time. She was clearly uncomfortable with the conversation.

"I observed them for a few nights and then I came up with a plan."

"You cheated them?" Peeta whispered, disgusted with his brother's story.

"No, I played fair and square. I just read their signals. Delly helped me."

Peeta shook his head. "Can I speak with you privately outside?" The rain had momentarily stopped and a sliver of sunlight shone through a break in the clouds.

At that moment Sae brought the food to the table, meat, beans, and bread.

Rye nodded. "Be quick though; I don't want to eat my food cold." He stood up and followed Peeta outside.

Peeta limped to the middle of the street and turned to his brother.

"Are you addled Rye?" he began. "Don't you think those gamblers are going to come after you? Especially when you're sitting in the restaurant bragging on it."

Peeta nodded toward the two men who had been eating. They were leaving the restaurant, walking out the door and heading in the direction of the boarding house. Peeta was sure they'd heard everything.

"And why'd you get Delly involved?"

"You know why," Rye said. "She's the biggest gossip in town. If anyone knew anything about the game, it would be her."

Peeta frowned. "She's probably told half the town about how she helped you already."

Rye's face turned white, as he realized that Delly's greatest strength was also her greatest weakness. The woman enjoyed getting attention for the information she could pass along.

"But that's not your biggest problem," Peeta added.

"What..." Rye began, but Peeta interrupted.

"Delly has been talking about you for days now. She thinks you're interested in her for other, more personal reasons. I'm sure she's waiting for you to ask Effie to court her."

If Rye's problems weren't so serious, Peeta would have laughed at the shocked expression on his brother's face.

"No, no, I'm not," Rye choked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Peeta said. "And I wouldn't care so much about this if it wasn't for the fact that I'm working for her aunt, and Katniss and I are living in her house. I don't want us to get thrown out because Effie has taken a dislike to all things Mellark."

"Don't worry about that Peeta," Rye said. "I won't be in need of Delly's help anymore."

"Good. But what are you going to do about the gamblers? If they're the type of men you describe who are playing a crooked game, I'd guess they'll be coming after you, especially if there's three of them and only one of you."

Rye nodded. Peeta could tell his brother had only thought as far as winning; he hadn't considered the consequences of his actions.

"Are you carrying your winnings?"

Rye shook his head. "I gave it all to Annie to hold for now. I trust her."

Peeta nodded. "I do too, but I'm worried for your safety."

"I'll be fine," Rye said. "I'll lay low for a bit."

Peeta shook his head. He hoped that would be enough, but he doubted it. Three cheating card players who were tricked out of their winnings would likely want revenge.

A few raindrops fell on them.

"Let's go inside," Rye said. "My food is getting cold."

They began walking back when a voice called. "Hey boy."

Peeta looked toward the saloon. It was Haymitch motioning them over. Peeta and Rye followed him into the empty bar.

"That was quite the game last night," Haymitch said, staring at Rye.

Rye swallowed nervously.

"So you figured out the game was a set up," Haymitch continued. "Probably think you're clever."

Rye looked miserably at the saloon owner.

"I assume you want to stay alive."

Rye nodded.

"Then I suggest you leave town as quickly as you can, before anything happens."

Peeta felt a shiver run down his back. But then he wondered about Haymitch's involvement. Why was he allowing a crooked game in his saloon?

"Are you partners with them?" Peeta asked.

"I get a cut of their winnings," the man admitted. "I don't mind losing for one night. I made up for it by selling more drinks because of everyone watching such an exciting game. But I know those men. They will come after you."

This has to be the worst thing Rye's done Peeta thought as he and his brother left the saloon. He glanced at his brother. But Rye didn't look too worried.

"Maybe I'll pay a visit to Sacramento City to see Hazelle and Samuel until this thing blows over," Rye said. "Anything you'd like me to pass along to Katniss' family?"

Immediately Peeta thought of the letter Katniss agreed to write, but he doubted she'd done it so quickly. And Rye needed to leave immediately. The letter to Prim would have to wait, but Rye could pass along another message. "Tell Gale that Lavinia is fine, but she misses her father very much."

Rye snorted. "Tired of babysitting?"

"It's not so much that. But the longer we keep her, the harder it will be for Katniss to give her back." Peeta knew it would be just as hard for him too, but he didn't want to admit that to his brother.

"Where did you go?" Sae complained when they came back into the restaurant. She was upset at Peeta's long break because a tin of muffins had burned.

Annie and Finnick left before Rye finished his cold lunch. Peeta went in the back to mix up more muffins.

Before he left, Rye came to the cooking area and bid Peeta good-bye.

"I'll see you later, in a few weeks or so," Rye said. "And don't worry, I'll be fine."

Peeta nodded. He shook his brother's hand and clapped him on the back. "Be careful," he cautioned as Rye left.

Peeta worked a few more hours for Sae before heading back to Effie's house. He planned to show Delly how to make bread pudding with the leftover sweet rolls he'd made for Christmas breakfast.

When he opened the back door, Katniss greeted him. Her face was pale and bore a shocked expression. "Effie wants to talk to you."

"What's wrong?" he mouthed.

"Delly ran off."

Immediately he thought of his brother leaving and he wondered if Delly had gone with him. But why would she? His brother wouldn't want to take her. Rye said he was through with her; he'd just admitted it to Peeta a few hours earlier.

Peeta knocked on Effie's door. She answered it, inviting him into her room, which doubled as a bedroom and sitting area. He'd never been inside and was amazed at the grandeur of the surroundings, especially the tall bookcase filled with leather-bound volumes. Effie spent most of her time in her room. He'd always wondered what she was doing all day; maybe she was reading. She sat across from him at a small table and handed him a letter.

"Delly has gone," she said. "She slipped this under my door."

Peeta looked at the fancy stationary and read the short note.

_Dear Aunt Effie,_

_I am traveling to Sacramento City on business with Mr. Rye Mellark. He is Peeta's brother. I'm not sure when I will be returning. I will contact you as soon as I am able._

_Love,_

_Delly_

"Peeta," Effie asked. "What possible business would Delly have with your brother?"

He sighed and decided he might as well tell her. Between the bragging of his brother and the gossip of Delly, Effie might be the only person in town who hadn't heard the news by now.

Peeta explained how Delly had helped Rye win the card game at the saloon the previous evening. "Haymitch suggested my brother leave town for his safety. He left for Sacramento City to stay with Katniss' family. He didn't say anything about taking Delly though."

Effie pursed her lips. "You need to go after them and bring her back."

Peeta frowned. He was afraid his employer would ask him to do that. "All right," he agreed, thinking he could catch up to them quickly. He had a horse, but Rye didn't, so they were likely on foot, unless Rye found someone to sell him a horse.

Peeta left Effie's room, looking for Katniss.

"Effie wants me to find Delly and bring her back," Peeta said. He told Katniss about his conversation with his brother and Haymitch.

"I hate this," Katniss said, bitterly. "Why are we being put in the middle?"

Peeta shook his head, glancing at the child on Katniss' lap that she was feeding and thinking about how Gale had left Lavinia in their care. This wasn't the first time the couple had been asked to help others.

"I don't know," he said. "But I better leave now if I want to catch up to them. Do you think you could milk the cows for me?"

Katniss nodded. "I'll ask Leevy to watch Lavinia."

"Be sure to stay in the room until I get back," he said, remembering what had happened the previous evening.

Peeta leaned over to kiss Katniss goodbye as she sat. Her free arm went around his neck to pull him toward her. She clung to him for a moment and he hoped he'd find his brother and Delly quickly because all he wanted to do was take his wife back to their room and shut the world out.

When he finally broke apart from Katniss, he kissed the top of Lavinia's head, waved and headed out the back door. He walked outside through the rain to the shelter where his horse was housed alongside Effie's two cows.

But the horse stall was empty. Rye had taken his horse. He walked back into the house, surprising Katniss with his announcement that "the horse is gone."

He knocked on Effie's door and told her the news. Her mouth formed into a thin line. "Talk to Haymitch. He might know of a horse you can borrow."

Peeta left the room and explained the new plan to Katniss before kissing her and Lavinia goodbye a second time.

He limped through the drizzle toward the saloon, wondering at his brother's foolishness. Where did he plan to spend the night in this weather, especially with Delly along?

Haymitch guffawed loudly when Peeta explained his errand. "Check with Thom he might loan you his horse."

Peeta trudged to the general store. Finnick was there. Thom was telling him when the next delivery of sewing thread would arrive.

"What can I do for you friend?" Thom called out.

Embarrassed Peeta asked to borrow the man's horse.

"Sorry Peeta, I sold my horse to your brother a few hours ago."

So Rye hadn't taken his horse. Delly had. Anger bubbled up inside Peeta.

"What's going on?" Thom asked.

Peeta had known Thom ever since he'd arrived in California. He'd purchased all his baking supplies from him and considered the man his friend. But still he hesitated before he spoke because he knew that in District 12 gossip was as valuable as gold. A man in Thom's position could pass along the tale to dozens of men each day. In time the tale would be retold so many times, each man adding his own colorful additions, that in the end it would not resemble the original facts in the least.

He and Katniss had been the subject of much gossip before their marriage. He was long past caring about his brother's reputation, but he didn't want to besmirch Delly, much as the woman aggravated him.

"Are you going after your brother?" Finnick blurted out.

"Yes," Peeta mumbled, wondering if Rye had told Thom why he needed the horse.

"Do you know who else might have a horse around here?" Peeta asked Thom.

"Cray does, maybe a few others."

"I'll check them out. Thanks Thom," he muttered, leaving the store.

Finnick followed him out. "What's going on Peeta?"

As soon as they were out of earshot of the store, Peeta spoke. "Delly left with Rye. Effie wants me to bring her back."

The Irishman whistled. "I told him not to tell her he was leaving."

"What?"

"He had this idea that she might be in danger as well, so he wanted to warn her before he left," Finnick explained. "I guess she convinced him to take her along."

And then she stole my horse, Peeta realized.

"How are they going to travel in this?" Peeta pointed to the sky that was still weeping. "And where are they going to shelter tonight in this weather?"

"Rye has the tent," Finnick said. "He stopped by our room and took it after he asked Annie for all his money back. Unfortunately he moved the rocker into our room before he left. Annie's mad about it."

Rye and Finnick had become full owners of that piece of mining equipment after the fire when they were the only ones in the group who planned to continue searching for gold in the rivers.

"I better go look for Cray then," Peeta muttered.

"That's probably not such a good idea," Finnick said. "That crowd he travels with is friends with those gamblers. You'd only be tipping them off to your brother's whereabouts if you spoke with them."

Peeta groaned. "Thanks Finnick. Guess I'll go back and talk to Effie."

As he limped back, he wondered if Effie would ask him and Katniss to leave her house. A big part of his job was to teach Delly to cook. And now she was gone.

He closed his eyes and rubbed them, wishing it was all a dream, wondering how he had taken on the responsibility for other people's problems. But when he opened his eyes nothing had changed.

**Author's Note: Sacramento had a population of about 10,000 people in 1849.**

**At the beginning of 1849, there were only 54 men from China in all of the territory of California. Initially the Chinese were welcomed. They were hard workers. Many took on jobs to service the miners, opening laundries, restaurants, and general stores. But as their numbers increased, so did the prejudice of the whites in California to these same China immigrants.**

**The rocker was a mining tool that made panning for gold much easier. The miner would drop gravel into the top part and finer and heavier particles dropped through a screen. The bottom part of the device had slats that caught the heavier metals. Although they varied in size, the average rocker was about four feet long and three feet high.**


	6. Chapter 6 - Having A Baby

**Chapter 6 – Having A Baby**

When Peeta walked through the door so soon after he'd left a second time, he looked physically and mentally exhausted. His clothes were wet. He grimaced.

"There are no horses," he muttered to Katniss. "I need to talk to Effie."

He was in Effie's room for so long that Katniss grew worried. Was the woman asking him to move out? Should she be packing their meager belongings so they could relocate to the boarding house?

She ran upstairs with Lavinia, a part of the house she'd avoided ever since they'd moved in. She knocked on Leevy's door.

"Will you watch the baby?" she asked. "I need to milk the cows."

Leevy nodded, taking the child from Katniss and following her downstairs.

When Katniss had finished the milking, she was pleased to see that Peeta was in the kitchen preparing supper. He and Leevy were talking about Lavinia, laughing over a silly face she'd made when Leevy fed her some soured fruit preserves.

Katniss wanted to ask Peeta about his talk with Effie, but she didn't want to have the conversation in front of Leevy. She waited until the woman was done feeding Lavinia before taking the child from her.

Leevy excused herself quickly, apparently sensing that Katniss and Peeta wanted to speak privately.

"What did Effie say?"

Peeta turned from the stove and sat down at the table to face her. He rubbed his neck and sighed. "In light of the circumstance she thinks its best for Delly to be away for now. I don't need to go after them.

"Effie says we can stay if I continue to cook for everyone and we keep the cows milked," he continued. "Delly was doing some light housekeeping. Effie wanted you to take that on."

Katniss snorted. Delly didn't do much cleaning around the house in her opinion. It would be easy to do her tasks.

"She wants us to stay," Peeta repeated. "For now at least."

"What were you talking about for so long?"

"She grilled me about my brother for a long time," Peeta said. "Wanted to know every last detail about him and my family. She acts as if they've eloped, not escaped retribution from gamblers."

Katniss frowned. Delly running off with Rye had certainly tarnished her reputation, even if there was nothing between the two of them. But growing up in a brothel that her aunt owned didn't indicate the best family background either.

"I can't understand why no one saw Rye and Delly leaving," Peeta said. "Where were you?"

Katniss flinched at his accusation. "I was at the boardinghouse visiting Annie, and listening to Reverend Undersee's thoughts about the habits of godly women," she said angrily.

The silence between them hung thickly.

"I'm sorry," Peeta finally said. "I don't want to fight with you over this. It's not our problem. We're just stuck in the middle."

Katniss nodded, understanding that her husband had reached his limit. "I'll put Lavinia to bed now," she muttered excusing herself.

Later, when Peeta returned to the room and the child had fallen asleep, they made up.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rain continued to fall as 1849 came to a close. The dirt road that ran through the tiny main street became flooded as a stream formed to wash over it.

After fretting a few days over her mother, Katniss wrote a letter to Prim asking for information, hinting at what Reverend Undersee had spoken about to her and Peeta. There was something odd about the story, but Katniss had no reason to think the clergyman would make it up. Once she sealed the letter, though, she put it from her mind. If it was true, there was little she could do about it. Peeta gave the letter to Thom who promised to pass it along to the next supplier who was going through Sacramento City.

Business dropped off considerably at the brothel. One evening there were only two customers. The woman sat around the parlor, gossiping and playing cards. Even New Year's Eve was quiet, not like the raucous night it had been a year earlier when Katniss had sang at the saloon and the men had shot off their guns in the streets at midnight.

The bad weather continued into January. The nearby stream overflowed its banks in some areas. One morning, water from the flooded street crept into the doorway of the saloon, Sae's restaurant, and the boarding house. Effie's house was located on slightly higher ground, but still water lapped at the base of the bottom porch step.

Fortunately, the shelter behind the house in which the cows resided was free of the flood. The deluge only lasted a day or two, but it sent all the men in town reaching for their shovels to scrape the mud that was left behind in the buildings.

Life was grim for weeks as the rain continued. It was all Katniss could do to not descend into the sadness that had kept her in bed in the late fall. She was glad for Lavinia to occupy her time. She was slowly forging a friendship with Leevy who had taken over Delly's babysitting duties, while Katniss cleaned, and helped Peeta with the cooking and baking for the house.

In spite of the rain, she visited Annie as often as possible. She told herself it was to keep Annie company, but really it was to keep herself sane because Annie wasn't bored or lonely. With Leevy's help, Annie was sewing a suit that Thom had ordered, and making a layette for her impending arrival.

It was the middle of February when the rain stopped suddenly and the sun appeared. Katniss grinned when she saw light entering the window of their room. She must have slept late; normally she woke when Peeta got out of bed to milk the cows.

She dressed herself, and put a fresh diaper on Lavinia, before bringing the child to the kitchen to eat. Peeta was humming as he baked. The smell of coffee permeated the air.

Immediately, nausea overwhelmed her. She swallowed quickly, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew this feeling.

Peeta handed her a mug of coffee. She took a sip of the bitter brew and nearly gagged before setting it down. Oh, no, she thought, panic washing over her. I'm pregnant.

Her hands were shaking as she put a cup of milk to Lavinia's lips to drink. Leevy had taught the child this trick and it had made feeding so much quicker. She followed by spoon-feeding the child some porridge, concentrating on holding her hand steady.

Katniss left her coffee untouched. She reached for a biscuit as soon as Peeta put the platter on the table. She nibbled at it, wondering if she should mention her suspicions to her husband, but immediately decided to wait. She needed time to get used to the idea. Could she be wrong?

Probably not she thought. She had been feeling out of sorts for the past couple of weeks. She'd attributed it the harsh weather, but it was likely more.

Fear rose in her throat as she wondered if this pregnancy would end the same as the last. She stopped eating and set her biscuit down onto the table.

"Are you all right?" Peeta asked.

"Fine," she muttered, not looking at his face, worried that if he looked into her eyes he would recognize the terror that had come upon her.

As soon as Lavinia finished eating, Katniss stood up.

"Don't you want your coffee?" Peeta asked.

"No, not today."

Peeta nodded and Katniss wondered if he remembered her aversion to coffee during her pregnancy. But he didn't say anything to her so she hoped he'd forgotten.

After breakfast, Peeta strung out clotheslines behind Effie's house. The sky was clear. It was the first day in a long time that they could do laundry. Throughout the rainy winter, dirty garments for everyone in the house had been spot-cleaned. Only Lavinia's diapers and tiny gowns had been washed and then draped over a rack near to the stove in the kitchen to dry. Even the bedding of the workingwomen had gone unwashed.

Fortunately the sun stayed out the entire week. It took that long for Katniss and Peeta, with the varying help of most of the women to wash and dry all of the combined bedding and clothing of the residents of Effie's house.

Katniss even snuck in one of Annie's dresses and two shirts belonging to Finnick.

Everyone in town had the same idea about doing laundry, because clotheslines were strung up all over the tiny town. The sight reminded Katniss of her family and made her miss them all the more.

In the afternoons while the laundry was drying, Katniss and Peeta went hunting. Katniss was eager to try out the new bow Peeta had given her for Christmas. Unfortunately, they were limited to smaller animals that they could carry back in a canvas bag. Without a horse, they were unable to take the cart.

But the area around town was rife with game. The sun brought the creatures out of hiding and into Katniss' aim. Everyone was happy for meat. For the past six weeks, people had been surviving on beans and bread.

Katniss was glad for a reason to keep busy. She pushed the thought of pregnancy from her mind. Because it was clear to her that she was expecting. She had moments of intense nausea and occasional dizziness. Her breasts were tender.

But still she held off saying anything to Peeta. She expected he'd be happy about the news and want to talk about it. But she didn't want to talk about it. Because if they talked about it, if they made plans, the same thing might happen again. She'd lose the baby. No, she'd keep this secret for a while longer.

Annie's baby was due any day. She didn't leave her room except for meals; it was difficult for her to walk up and down the stairs. There were no midwives or doctors in the area. Annie had begged Katniss and Leevy, her only female friends to assist in the delivery. She had also reluctantly agreed to allow Effie to help as well after Katniss persuaded her.

"She's very knowledgeable," Katniss insisted. "She helped me when I needed a woman's help."

She was glad when Annie agreed; Katniss had only attended one birth with her mother a couple of years ago when they were living in Oregon. She didn't feel very confident of her abilities to help. Leevy, likewise, had witnessed her sister give birth, but she had not assisted in a delivery either. Effie was older than all of them and Katniss expected she might have helped or attended a birthing herself.

Katniss and Peeta were startled awake one morning at the end of February to Finnick rapping on their bedroom window. Even Lavinia let out a yowl before promptly falling back asleep.

The window was only open a crack, Katniss' compromise to Peeta's insistence for fresh air even in the coldest and dampest of weather, when they heard Finnick call out, "Annie needs you now."

"I'll be there soon," Katniss muttered."

She dressed quickly in the soft moonlight. Peeta was sitting up in bed rubbing his eyes.

"I'll wake up Leevy," Katniss said after she was dressed.

"What about Effie?"

"Let her sleep a bit longer," said Katniss. "Babies don't come that quickly."

"What should I do with Lavinia?"

She frowned. It would be difficult for Peeta to get any of his work done and take care of the child. "Bring her over to the boarding house when she wakes up," Katniss suggested. "Finnick can watch her. It will keep him busy. Besides he needs the practice of tending a child."

When they arrived, Katniss and Leevy found Annie wearing a dressing gown and pacing around the tiny room of the boarding house. She moaned loudly whenever a contraction hit her, doubling over in pain. Finnick sat on the bed, pulling at his hair as he watched his wife in pain.

Frantic with worry, he turned to Katniss and Leevy. "Can't you do something?" he begged.

Katniss shook her head. "It doesn't work like that."

She immediately realized that Finnick needed to leave. His agitation wasn't helping; in fact it was making her more aware of her own lack of experience. Katniss suggested he join Peeta at Effie's house to help with Lavinia.

"Maybe you should lie down," Katniss suggested to Annie when he was gone.

The woman shook her head. "Pacing hastens the labor. I want this over with quickly."

Katniss was puzzled. Her mother was a midwife; she'd never heard of such a thing. Maybe it was something women practiced in France where Annie had grown up.

"How long have you been in pain?" Leevy asked.

"Since last night, before bed."

As the early rays of sunlight fell in the tiny room, Katniss and Leevy exchanged nervous glances. Annie was much farther along than they suspected.

"I could get Effie now," Leevy suggested.

Katniss nodded, and the woman departed, leaving Katniss alone with her friend. Annie continued to pace and moan every couple of minutes. Katniss sat on the edge of the bed nervously and watched, leaping to her feet to rub the small of Annie's back whenever a contraction hit.

It wasn't long until Effie and Leevy returned. Leevy was carrying a bucket full of warm water, while Effie had a stack of linens and clean rags.

Effie took charge immediately. She pulled the blankets down on the bed and laid out the clean linens over the sheet. Katniss recognized Effie's actions to protect the mattress by catching the blood and other body fluids; she'd done the same for Katniss when she'd miscarried.

"Has your water broke," Effie asked Annie.

The woman nodded. "Get into bed then," Effie said. "It's almost time."

Katniss watched as Annie meekly listened to the older woman.

In less than an hour, Effie had calmly talked Annie through the process of pushing out a tiny baby boy. Katniss and Leevy had done little, except to hold Annie's hand and offer encouragement. Katniss was glad to have such little involvement; the smells of childbirth were overwhelming her senses.

She was amazed at Effie's abilities. It rivaled her mother's skills.

"You would make a good midwife," she told Effie. "Have you done this before?"

Effie smiled wryly. "No. But when you've given birth it's easy to know what needs to be done."

Did Effie have a child then? Had it died? Katniss was curious, but Effie's face had darkened as if she were reliving a bad memory.

The three women cleaned up the room, and then invited Finnick, who was waiting downstairs with Lavinia, in to meet his son.

Finnick handed Lavinia to Katniss. "Peeta fed her, but I think she needs a fresh diaper," he said, before sitting on the edge of the bed to study his wife and son.

The three women left the couple, returning to the brothel. A wave of dizziness fell over Katniss as she walked back to Effie's house with the others. She quickly handed the baby off to Leevy, before stopping for a moment to bend over slightly.

"Are you all right," Leevy asked.

"Just a bit dizzy," Katniss said. "I guess I'm hungry."

Effie looked at her curiously, but said nothing.

Peeta had made sweet rolls, which were sitting on a platter on the kitchen table when they returned. Jo, Octavia, and Glimmer were eating at the table.

"Baby came that fast?" Jo asked Effie when the three women came into the house.

"Yes," Effie declared. "She's got a fine son."

"Guess it's your turn next brainless," Jo looked to Katniss.

Katniss scowled at Jo and then took Lavinia from Leevy. She returned to her room, changed Lavinia's diaper, and lay down on the bed next to the girl. She stared at the painting across the room and sighed. A sharp pain pieced her as she realized that if she hadn't lost her first baby, she'd be giving birth in a couple of months. Even though she was expecting again, the sadness was still there, along with a bit of envy that everything had worked out well for Annie.

She didn't want to be jealous of her friend. She knew it was wrong. But Annie and Finnick's happiness contrasted sharply with her and Peeta's loss. She wallowed in her thoughts for a while until her eyes dropped to the child at her side.

Lavinia would never know her mother. Immediately Katniss was embarrassed by her self-pity. She reminded herself that she was expecting again. Life had gone on. Wasn't her pregnancy a sign of that?

She grew calmer. She pulled Lavinia close to her, kissing her forehead and curling up around the girl. Her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep holding Lavinia in her arms.

When she awoke, Peeta was sitting on the corner of the bed staring at her. The light in the room was nearly gone. She'd slept the afternoon away.

"Peeta, why didn't you wake me," she asked. "I must have been asleep for hours."

"For what? Nothing going on here," he said. "Besides I like watching you sleep. You look so peaceful nestled with Lavinia."

A flicker of a though flashed in her head, but she swept it away.

"Besides you got up so early for little Finnick's birth."

"So that's what they're calling him?" Katniss asked, as she unwrapped her arms from Lavinia, and sat up to lean against the bed frame. The child's eyes were beginning to flutter open.

"Annie is calling him Finn."

"Did you see him already?"

"Yes, after I was done working at the restaurant. He's a sweet fellow," Peeta added.

Katniss noticed a flash of sadness in Peeta's eyes, but he looked away and toward Lavinia and smiled.

"But not as sweet as you," he said, sticking two fingers out to tickle her fully awake. Lavinia made a noise that sounded like "da da."

Peeta beamed. "Did you hear that?"

Katniss nodded.

Anyone can see Peeta would be a good parent. It occurred to her that now would be a very good time to tell Peeta her news. But the idea of everything going wrong again was so heavy upon her that she kept quiet.

She'd wait until later when she was further along.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

March came in like a lion, drying the muddy ground. Men were returning to the area to pitch their tents and begin mining again, panning in the rivers and digging out veins in the nearby mountains.

Business at the general store, saloon, and Effie's house picked up. Katniss and Peeta began hunting again on a regular basis. Sometimes they left the baby with Leevy, other times with Annie. Finnick was eager to move back to a mining camp but he was waiting for Annie to recover and his son to grow larger.

"We need to wait until it warms up a bit," he told Katniss and Peeta. "It's better for the baby to sleep indoors for now." In the meantime, however, he was walking back to the Dirty District 12 camp every morning to pan at the river. Men were beginning to settle in that general area again, clearing away the debris from the fire and pitching tents.

With the rains gone, Peeta had gone ahead with plans to open a bakeshop in town. The lumber he had ordered after Christmas had arrived, and he'd hired some men to construct the building. It would be located at the end of the main street, close to the general store and as far away as possible from the saloon. Since they'd be sleeping in the back of the shop, Katniss and Peeta wanted it to be far from the nightly noise.

They would only have a tiny space for their living quarters, about the same size as the bakeshop Peeta had built in the mining camp. But Peeta assured Katniss that if the business did well, he'd build second-story living quarters the next year.

Katniss' nausea had ended, although she still couldn't stomach certain smells and had given up coffee completely. Her belly was slightly swollen, but it was still hidden well by her dress.

Everyday Katniss held Lavinia a little closer, thinking that Gale would arrive soon. She didn't know if she could turn his daughter over to him. More and more she thought of Lavinia as her own, especially now that the child had started babbling "ma ma," to her.

Every day she glanced at the painting of the meadow and silently told Madge all about Lavinia and how quickly she was growing. She ended by asking Madge about her own dear child that she'd never had the chance to meet. Katniss would empty her mind waiting for some thought or idea to pop into it, something that would indicate that Madge had heard her. But her mind stayed blank, and eventually other thoughts would drift in, her next task at hand or a something she needed to tell Peeta.

Katniss would sigh and move on. She knew she was being silly. But still the thought that her friend was caring for her first little one was comforting to her. No matter what happened in her life in the years to come, Katniss would never forget that unseen babe.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm staying in town," Annie declared as she rocked her son in her arms. "I don't want to live in a camp anymore."

Surprise appeared on Finnick's face. "The man is the head of family," he stated. "The good reverend just preached on that. Weren't you paying attention?"

Katniss and Peeta were joining Annie and Finnick for lunch at Sae's restaurant after Reverend Undersee's church service. Sae allowed services to be held in her building because most of the attendees stayed to purchase lunch afterwards.

Annie glared at Finnick and then at the reverend who sat at the far end of the long table talking to a miner. "I can make good money by setting up a tailoring business here in town. It's a central location."

Peeta gave Katniss a faint smile and shook his head as their friends bickered. She exchanged a knowing look with her husband, and fed another spoonful of broth to Lavinia.

Katniss was on Annie's side in this argument. She understood fully why Annie didn't want to return to a mining camp. She'd be the only woman living there. It was so much better in town. She had female friends here - Katniss and Leevy.

"And what am I supposed to do?" Finnick asked. "Walk two miles to the river each day?"

"You're already doing it," Annie pointed out.

"Where do you propose we live then?" Finnick stalled. "Our room in the boarding house is too small with a baby."

"It's bigger than a tent," she replied. "Anyway, we can live in the back of the shop."

Finnick snorted. "Where will we get the money to construct a building? I haven't found that much gold."

"You're right, you haven't. But I have an investor who is willing to take a chance on the business."

Katniss' ear's perked up when she heard the word "investor."

"Who?" she mouthed to Peeta.

He shook his head. "I don't know," he mouthed.

Finnick looked dumbfounded. Then his face got very angry. "Who is he?" he shouted at her.

Katniss wondered if it could be a miner who'd hit it big. Annie had worked for a short time at Effie's house. Maybe it was someone she'd met there. If so, no wonder Finnick was upset.

Annie seemed to enjoy watching Finnick get worked up. She smiled and shook her head as her husband dropped his fork and fisted his hands.

"Calm down Finnick," she finally said. "It's Thom. He's sweet on Leevy. He's looking for a way to get her out of the brothel and into a respectable business. Leevy and I are going to open a shop together."

"What?" Finnick was dumbfounded.

"You're not the only man to fall for one of Effie's girls," Annie explained.

Katniss pondered the thought of Leevy and Thom. With the shortage of women in the gold fields, there were few if any eligible women available for men seeking a wife. It was natural that a man might consider one of the women working for Effie.

However, Thom, who as the owner of the general store was well-known by everyone, might prefer not to marry a woman who everyone knew as a prostitute. If he could set her up in her own business, wait a while until everyone began thinking of her as seamstress, it would be better for both of them in the long run.

"He must be doing well because he's building a second-story living quarters, too," Peeta said. He turned toward Finnick. "

"We'll still be neighbors if you stay in town."

Finnick sighed; clearly his wife had taken charge of their future.

Peeta turned toward Annie. "Does Effie know about Leevy?"

Annie shook her head. "Not yet. But she will soon enough."

"District 12 will be booming come summer with all the new construction," Peeta predicted. In addition to the bakeshop and tailoring shop, a second boarding house was also being built.

The social visit soon came to an end. Katniss carried Lavinia and followed Peeta out the door of the restaurant. They walked the short distance to the site of the new bakeshop, admiring the work that had already been completed.

"It shouldn't be much longer until it's done," Peeta said. "Maybe a week or two at best before we can move in."

Katniss nodded. She'd be glad to move. With business picking up, Effie's house had become quite noisy. The sounds that came from the upstairs floors, the occasional moans and shouts, were becoming frequent. They'd heard them so rarely in the winter, but now they were an everyday occurrence. It was embarrassing to her. Once it had even woken up Lavinia and it took them a while to help her fall back asleep.

There was no sign of Delly yet, although she had sent a letter to Effie by way of one of the miners who'd already made his way to the camps. She'd told her aunt that she was staying with the Hawthorne family and would return in the spring. No mention was made of Rye in the letter.

Effie had passed along the information to Peeta. Katniss could tell that her husband was worried about his brother.

Meanwhile she was still waiting to hear from Prim or her mother.

"I ordered another bed for us," Peeta interrupted her thoughts. "But we're going to be sleeping on the floor for a couple of weeks until it gets here. I hope you don't mind."

Katniss nodded. It would be uncomfortable, but she'd slept on the ground for a long time while at the camp. She was used to it. Of course she hadn't been pregnant then.

"What about Lavinia?" she asked.

"Effie said we can borrow the cradle until… we don't need it any longer."

Katniss rested her hand lightly on her belly as she thought about the baby growing inside of her. She was past the stage where she'd lost the other child. It was time she told Peeta he was going to be a father for real.

**Author's Note: Midwifes, not doctors, assisted in the majority of births in the United States in the mid-19th century. Most women of the time had a fair understanding of the process having witnessed their mothers, sisters, and friends deliver a child. The owner of a brothel would likely have helped woman recover from miscarriages, and perhaps even assisted in recovery from abortions. Also, the majority of the population lived on farms and was familiar with the birthing process because they owned livestock. **


	7. Chapter 7 - The News

**Chapter 7 – The News**

If there was one word to describe Peeta Mellark, it was observant. He noticed things and usually acted on them immediately, and when he didn't, he tucked them away in his mind pondering a solution to the situation. Over the past few months, several things had occurred that had caused him to think a lot.

But the biggest concern on his mind at present was the behavior of his wife. He thought he knew her well when they married. He knew she could be downright rude to strangers, but that once she got to know a person; she could be a kind and loyal friend. He knew she loved her family fiercely. He knew she was a hard worker.

But he was learning more about her every day, things he never would have guessed. He'd had no idea that she could suffer from melancholia. He'd always suspected she'd be a good mother, but he never would have guessed at the savage devotion she paid to Lavinia, who was in her charge. But the biggest wonder was that she was an absolutely terrible liar.

From the day Katniss had refused the coffee he'd served her in Effie's kitchen, Peeta knew his wife was expecting. After that day, he'd watched her carefully, looking for every little sign to confirm it.

At first, he didn't understand why she hadn't shared the news with him. It was wonderful news. Shouldn't she be excited?

But then it dawned on him that maybe she didn't want to be pregnant. Maybe it was too soon after the miscarriage. Even he had trepidation that the same occurrence would happen again.

He'd blamed himself when Katniss had lost the baby, thinking that he'd been too exuberant during their private moments and had caused it. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't touch her if she were expecting again. He'd even told Katniss about it and she had agreed.

But though he suspected, hell he was sure she was pregnant, he had continued to show physical affection to his wife as often as possible. Afterwards, he'd rub his hand over her belly and silently convey his apologies to his unborn child.

He felt awful about it, but the vow he'd made was impossible to keep. Not when he was sleeping every night next to a nearly naked woman that he loved dearly. Not with the sounds that carried through the walls of Effie's house that made his body react in ways he couldn't control.

And Katniss certainly hadn't pulled away. If anything, she was more affectionate. Maybe, he rationalized, she was keeping the news from him because she didn't want to end their physical relations during the pregnancy.

Whatever the reason, though, he just wished Katniss would say something. Because it would soon be obvious to everyone else around as her figure was changing shape.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The move into the new bakeshop was done in minutes. Peeta and Katniss emptied their few belongings from the wardrobe and carried everything down the main street to their new living quarters. Peeta made a second trip to get Lavinia's bed, which was filled with her diapers and clothes.

It took Katniss a short time to organize their living space. She hung up their extra clothing on hooks that had been placed in the wall and folded what couldn't be hung on a shelf. She spread out a wool blanket that had been purchased at the general story onto the wooden floor for a bed, and covered it with the colorful quilt that Annie and Leevy had made for the couple with leftover fabric.

Peeta began baking that afternoon. Katniss joined him in the front, while Lavinia napped.

As he mixed up batches of dough in a large bowl and she kneaded it next to him at the wooden counter, memories of their working together in the outdoor kitchen of the Dirty District 12 mining camp flooded his mind.

It had been six months since the fire. He hadn't expected to live quite so long at Effie's house. While it had been physically comfortable, he was glad to no longer be working for someone else. The last few weeks had been especially stressful as he oversaw the construction of the bakeshop and worked his two jobs. Even now he worried that he'd left Sae and Effie in the lurch, as neither had replaced him yet.

"It's good to be on our own again," he said to Katniss. He sighed in relief.

She nodded in agreement, biting her lower lip. Her cheeks were flushed pink, her skin smooth and glowing.

"What are you thinking about?" Peeta asked. He knew what he was thinking, but he needed to get some bread baked, for Sae at least. There was no time to take a break in their living quarters while Lavinia slept. No time to unbraid Katniss' hair and kiss her neck so sweetly. That would have to wait for later.

"Peeta."

He lifted his head and looked at her.

"I'm pregnant."

Finally, he thought. A few days earlier he'd noticed a tiny swelling was beginning to show through her clothing when he observed Katniss from certain angles.

"I know," he said, his face breaking into a smile.

"Oh." Katniss sounded surprised at his reply.

"When will the baby arrive?"

"September, I guess. That's what Annie thinks anyways."

Peeta frowned, irritation bubbling up. "You've talked about this with Annie?"

"Yes," Katniss faltered. "She's making another dress for me…well, I had to tell her to leave more room in the waist."

While her comment made sense, it hurt him that she was telling her friend before she'd told her him. Hell, it was his baby too. They were married. Why had she kept silent for so long?

He set down the wooden spoon he was using to mix the dough. "This has got to stop, Katniss," he said. "You can't shut yourself off from me. Like I'm too inconsequential or stupid or weak to handle things. How many people know about the baby? I'll bet Annie told Finnick, maybe even Leevy. Does Thom know? Does Effie know?"

His voice rose as he spoke and even as the words flew from his lips he knew he was being childish. He'd known six weeks ago that Katniss was pregnant. He'd been so pressured lately that he was taking out his frustrations on her.

Shame came over him as he watched her eyes fill with tears. She bent down and pounded the dough with her fists for a few moments before stopping. She wiped her hands clean of the flour and rushed into the backroom, closing the door behind her.

He wanted to stop and comfort her, find out why she had delayed telling him about the pregnancy, yet he felt obligated to get the baking done. But as he moved to take over Katniss' kneading, frustration built inside him. He'd done so much to help others over the past few months, keeping Sae's and Effie's businesses running smoothly, helping out Gale, Rye and even Delly.

Damn it. He deserved a day off to spend with his wife. No one in District 12 would die of starvation if they didn't get fresh bread today.

He wiped his hands clean of flour and slowly opened the door of the living quarters. Katniss was sitting on the floor, her face in her hands. She lifted her head when he entered. Her eyes were rimmed red.

"I'm sorry," he said limping forward and sitting on the floor cross-legged facing her.

"Annie didn't tell anyone," Katniss swore. "I told her you didn't know. But I had to tell about the baby. She was cutting the fabric."

Peeta nodded. "I understand. But why did you wait so long to say anything?"

Katniss didn't answer for minute. She stared at her hands and then bit her lip, as if she were gathering her thoughts. Finally she lifted her head to look at him. "If I told you it would make it real. If I kept it to myself…"

"But it is real, whether you tell me or not," he whispered.

"I know," she murmured. "I just…I was scared to get my hopes up again like before. If I told you, and we talked about it…well, I don't want to go through that again."

"I don't either," Peeta said, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her. He held her tight for a long time, his nose pressed into the braid that was pinned up onto the top of her head.

After a while, she sighed and he could feel her relax into his arms.

"How did you know Peeta?" She sounded like a small child.

He lifted his face from her hair. "Well, you stopped drinking coffee. You occasionally looked queasy. And well, there's this," he said, dropping one of his arms to rub his hand it across her swollen mid-section.

"I thought you weren't telling me because you wanted more of this." He nibbled on her earlobe, and then bent his head to kiss her neck.

She startled a bit turning toward his face. "What?"

"Remember I told you I wanted to refrain if you were expecting again?"

She smiled shyly. "I forgot all about that." She pulled back from him. "So if you knew Peeta, why didn't you refrain?"

He let go of her and stood up. He limped out of their living quarter and into the bakeshop to bolt the door to the shop. He returned to the living quarters, shutting that door firmly behind him. Glancing at Lavinia quickly to see that she remained asleep, he sat down next to Katniss on the quilt and put a finger under her chin.

"I couldn't do it," he said, as he tilted her chin up and leaned toward her.

Later, as Katniss napped in his arms, he resolved to stop worrying about everyone else. The woman he was holding should be his chief concern, not relatives, friends, former employers, or anyone else in District 12.

And, although it took several days, Effie and Sae did figure out how to run their business without Peeta's help. None of the women in Effie's house were interested in cooking. The brothel owner quickly realized that she would need to make arrangements with Sae to have meals carried over to the house twice each day.

While happy for the extra business from Effie's house, Sae had lost her baker and now had to purchase bread directly from the bakeshop. After a couple of days, she realized she needed extra help in the kitchen. Sae hired a young miner named Dalton, who had been disillusioned in his gold search, and had turned to other ways to earn a living.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was a beautiful spring morning, blue skies and puffy white clouds, when Gale walked into the bakeshop. Peeta had propped the door open because the room was getting warm from the heat of the oven. He and Katniss were working at the counter rolling out crusts for the meat pies that had been such a big hit at the Dirty District 12 mining camp. They'd gone hunting the previous afternoon and Katniss had shot some birds.

Lavinia was sitting on a blanket on the floor playing with her doll and gnawing on a bit of raw dough.

"Hey there," Gale called out. "You've opened a shop."

As soon as he heard Gale voice, Peeta's eyes flew to Katniss. She had frozen in place. The color had drained from her face.

"Yes, we have," Peeta said.

Gale stepped inside the small room and looked around. "It's bigger than your old shop."

"It is," Peeta agreed.

From the blanket on the floor came the babbling of Lavinia. "Ma ma, Da da, la, la," she cooed.

Gale quickly came forward. He squatted down next to the blanket, and then scooped up his daughter.

"Da da, Da da," she babbled again.

Gale smiled broadly. "Look, she knows me."

Peeta glanced at Katniss again. Her mouth had formed into a thin line. She wiped her hands clean on a towel and balled her fists.

"How has Lavinia been?" he asked the couple. His eyes settled for a moment on Kantiss' rounded belly.

Peeta opened his mouth to speak but Katniss beat him to it.

"Where have you been Gale? You told Peeta you'd be back in a few weeks. It's already spring," Katniss shouted, the rosy color back in her cheeks.

"I meant to come back sooner," he said. "But the weather was so bad and then there was a big flood in Sacramento City."

Katniss frowned. "It's been dry for a good while now."

"We stayed longer to build a house for my parents," Gale explained. "Your mother and Prim are living with them there," he added.

At the mention of her family, Katniss' fists unclenched and she put her hands together wringing them nervously.

"I'm here now."

"Are you taking Lavinia back?" Peeta detected the fear in his wife's voice. It sounded as if her heart was breaking.

Gale had obviously picked up on the tone as well because a look of surprise crossed his face, and then he smiled. "That's what I came to talk about with you." His eyes darted nervously from Katniss to Peeta.

"I wasn't planning to return to the Mexican camp this year. I only joined them so María could feed Lavinia. But Lavinia doesn't need to be nursed anymore. I was hoping Katniss, you could continue to watch her for me, if it's not too much of a bother."

Gale glanced down at her protruding mid-section for a moment before looking back at his daughter, studying her face carefully. "It looks like you've done a great job. Both of you."

Lavinia began to fuss. Instinctively, Katniss reached forward taking the child from Gale's arms and comforting her. She kissed the top of the Lavinia's head and held her tightly.

"We'll keep her for you Gale," Peeta blurted out. He suddenly realized that he and Katniss had been acting as parents to the child even longer than Gale had. In many ways she was more their child than his.

"Good." Gale rubbed his hands awkwardly. "I'll be back later. Rory's at Sae's ordering us some food. I just wanted to stop by to see Lavinia first. I've been thinking about her." He left the shop.

The moment he was gone, Peeta turned to Katniss. "So tell me. Is there anything I have to apologize for?"

"Nothing," she said.

Peeta knew it was a big leap to take, offering to continue to watch Lavinia especially since the bulk of the work fell upon Katniss, but he suspected that his wife wouldn't be able to give the child up. And he knew that the loss of this little girl would hurt him as well.

Katniss set Lavinia down on her blanket and returned to making pies. "I'm glad that's settled."

Peeta walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the side of his face. "I am too."

Rory stopped by much later in the day to invite the couple to dinner. The two brothers had pitched a tent outside of town, close to the river. It was an area that had become a permanent campground for miners who were unable or unwilling to pay to stay in the boarding house.

After locking the shop up, he and Katniss, who was clutching Lavinia in her arms, followed Rory to the site. Gale was roasting a rabbit he'd shot. Peeta had brought two loaves of bread and a small ball of cheese he'd made. Despite leaving Effie's employment he was still getting up early to milk the cows. In exchange, Effie said he could take as much milk as he wanted.

While they ate, Gale filled them in on the news about his family in Sacramento City describing the house he and Rory had built on a two-acre plot outside of town. He said his parents were well, although his father's health varied from day-to-day. Vick was still making plans on how he'd spend his fortune; but for now the large gold nugget he'd discovered had been buried for safekeeping underneath a rose bush Hazelle had planted in the front yard. Both Vick and Posy were attending school.

"My mom and Prim…" Katniss questioned.

"They're working for an apothecary in town.

"Reverend Undersee said my mother…" Katniss began. Her face grew red as she fumbled with her words.

"He mentioned a man from China," Peeta interjected trying to help Katniss out.

"Ying Liu is Chinese," Gale said. "He knows all about plants and how they can be used to treat a person. His potions have helped my father regain some of his strength. Your mother and Prim help him gather the native plants he uses. He's teaching them to make Chinese medicines. There aren't enough women in Sacramento City for your mother to work solely as a midwife."

"But how can she… she loved my father so much," Katniss blurted out.

"What?" Gale said, a look of astonishment appearing on his face. "Did you think your mother and Ying Liu…?" He exchanged amused glances with Rory and both brothers burst out laughing for nearly a minute.

Gale shook his head, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. He started to speak but he couldn't without dissolving into laughter again.

Shaking his head at his brother, Rory explained the reason for their reaction. "Katniss, Ying Liu is probably seventy-five years old.

A curious look appeared on Katniss face. "Reverend Undersee implied that there was something more between them. Why would he say that?"

Gale snorted. "The reverend is sweet on your mother. She made it clear she didn't feel the same."

"Madge asked about my mother when we first met," Katniss murmured. "I forgot all about that. She said her father was looking to remarry."

Peeta guessed the clergyman's pride had been wounded and he'd latched onto the only explanation he could imagine, absurd as it might be, that Mrs. Everdeen had rejected him because she harbored feelings for her employer. But even so, it seemed inconsiderate of the man to upset Katniss over the matter.

The conversation died out, as everyone concentrated on finishing the meal.

"How are my brother and Delly?" Peeta finally asked.

Gale waited until he'd swallowed his last bite of food before answering. "Both are well. Rye lives in a boarding house in town. Delly's staying with my family until the wedding."

"What wedding?" Peeta gasped. He turned to Katniss and saw the surprise in her face as well.

"Their wedding, of course," Gale answered. "They got engaged right before we left. That reminds me," Gale reached into his pocket. "Rory where did I put those letters?"

"I have them," Rory said, pulling some crumpled papers from his pockets. The sheets were folded over with names addressed on front. One letter for Peeta, one for Katniss, and one for Effie. He also pulled out a small leather pouch. "Rye said this would be explained in the letter."

Peeta reached for the mail and the pouch. He stuffed all of it into his coat pocket. "Thanks," he muttered. He wanted to talk to Gale more about his brother and Delly, but he would read the letter first.

Peeta and Katniss bid goodbye to the two brothers. Lavinia was asleep and they were tired as well. Gale promised to stop by the bakeshop the next day before leaving to set up camp at Dirty District 12 with Rory. The brothers wanted to get the rocker that Finnick had been keeping at the boarding house and take it to the mining camp.

After settling Lavinia in her cot, Peeta and Katniss sat down on the floor, atop the blankets that served as their bed. Peeta took the letters from his pocket and handed Katniss the one addressed to her. She quickly unfolded it and began to read.

He shoved the letter for Effie back into his pocket and opened the one for himself.

_Dear Peeta,_

_How are you? I'm fine. Great, in fact. I've found my calling - playing cards._

_You might be wondering why Delly came along. I went to Effie's house to warn her about the gamblers, but she began to cry and insisted I take her with me._

_While we were traveling here we came up with the idea of a fake courtship, just like you and Katniss, because you know how Hazelle feels about gambling. She would have had a fit if I showed up with Delly and told her the real reason we left District 12. Anyway she believed us when Delly said that Effie was against our courtship, and she invited Delly to stay with them. I'm living at a boarding house so everything looks proper._

_Bringing Delly along wasn't such a bad idea as it turns out. With her help, I'm winning a lot of card games. We've come up with a system of signals that works._

_Sorry about taking your horse. I'm sending some gold along so you can purchase another. I don't plan on coming back anytime soon. I may visit San Francisco in the next couple of weeks to try my hand at the gaming houses there._

_Take care Peetie. I'll be in touch._

_Your brother,_

_Rye_

When Peeta finished reading, he put his head into his hands and groaned.

"That bad," Katniss muttered. She was still reading the letter from her family.

When she was done, she sighed and turned to Peeta. "Well that explains a lot."

Peeta lifted his head. "What did your letter say?"

"It's from Prim," Katniss said. "She said that Reverend Undersee asked my mother to marry him and she turned him down. He didn't take the rejection well.

"Clearly not," Peeta muttered.

"What about your letter?" Katniss asked.

Peeta sighed. "Rye doesn't mention an engagement. They've told everyone they're courting, but Rye says it's not real. Apparently, though, Delly is helping him cheat at card games."

"He admits it?"

"He doesn't say it in those exact words, but essentially that's what is occurring."

"I wonder what news is in Effie's letter." Katniss' eyes had a mischievous look and Peeta shook his head.

"We're not reading Effie's letter," he insisted. "I'll bring it to her tomorrow morning."

"Oh, please Peeta, let's read it," Katniss teased. She reached at his pocket and he caught her hand and pressed it to his lips.

"No," Peeta repeated.

"You're probably right," Katniss said, scooting closer to him. "I imagine after Effie reads it, though, she'll want you to go after Delly."

Peeta laughed. "Well, I don't work for her anymore so she can't make me."

But later, after Katniss had fallen asleep, he was sorely tempted to open the letter and see exactly what his former student had written to her aunt.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He took a break from his baking in the middle of the morning and delivered the letter to Effie. She took it and bade him goodbye. But Leevy appeared in the bakeshop twenty minutes later.

"Effie wants to see you," she said. "Can you come over now?"

**Author's Note: The winter of 1849/1850 was the wettest the Sacramento Valley had experienced in years. It rained so hard in Sacramento that residents at the time recorded that it resembled the streets of Venice, Italy.**

**Sacramento had several gambling houses that opened in 1849. According to a letter written by miner S. Shufelt in March 1850, "almost every public house is a place for gambling…Men make and lose thousands in a night and frequently small boys will go up and bet $5 or $10 (equivalent to $115 or $225 today) and if they lose all, go the next day and dig more."**


	8. Chapter 8 - Mistakes

**Chapter 8 – Mistakes**

Peeta grimaced, taking off his apron and wiping his hands clean of flour.

"You don't work for her anymore," Katniss reminded.

A faint smile appeared on his face. "I'll be back soon. Take the biscuits out of the oven in the next few minutes."

He left the bakeshop. Leevy stayed behind to talk with Katniss.

"I've never seen Effie this upset," Leevy said. "She was near to tears. She hides her emotions most of the time."

Katniss frowned. "Peeta passed along a letter that Delly wrote to her. It must be that." Katniss didn't elaborate. She didn't know how much Leevy knew about Delly's situation, and she didn't want to malign her further. Despite what Rye claimed, it was possible that Delly might someday be Katniss' sister-in-law.

"When are you leaving Effie's house?" Katniss changed the subject.

"A soon as my replacement arrives. Effie hired a girl who worked in New Orleans. She'll be here any day."

"Where will you live?"

"In the new boarding house," Leevy said. "The rooms are smaller, but Annie says the old one is infested with fleas." Leevy excused herself, with the comment that she "needed to pick up something at the general store," and hurried out.

Katniss guessed Leevy was looking for an excuse to visit Thom. Smelling the biscuits, she opened the oven and pulled out the pan. The tops were a bit darker than Peeta liked, but they would still sell. Katniss put the pan aside to cool. She set to work mixing another batch when she heard Gale's voice.

"I wanted to say goodbye before we head out to the camp."

Katniss lifted her head and watched as he walked to the blanket where Lavinia was sitting and picked the child up.

"Thank-you Katniss," he said. "You've done a great job with her. I imagine it wasn't easy."

"It wasn't," she muttered, an irrational fear rising in her that Gale had changed his mind and wanted to take Lavinia with him. Immediately she wished for Peeta's presence.

"When are you due to give birth?" Gale asked. His eyes darted to her belly for a moment before returning to her face.

"September."

"Lavinia won't be a burden to you then?"

Katniss shook her head. No, if it wasn't for Lavinia the child inside her belly might never have been created. Lavinia had been the reason she'd been able to pull herself out of the darkness that had surrounded her.

"I'm glad. Because my mother wasn't keen on taking her on."

Katniss' mouth fell open, but as she pondered the notion, she wasn't that surprised. Hazelle was already taking care of Posy, Vick, and a husband in middling health. Why would she want to take on a baby who she suspected wasn't blood kin?

"And Peeta doesn't mind?" Gale asked.

Katniss shook her head and smiled. "Peeta loves children." The thought warmed her, although it was more of a guess based on observation rather than anything Peeta had said. But he had treated Lavinia kindly, he'd spoken well of Finn, and he'd always been nice to Vick and Posy. Instinctively she rubbed her hand over her mid-section.

"That's good then."

Gale kissed the top of Lavinia's head. "I'll try to make it in on Sundays to visit her."

"That would work," Katniss said. "If you come in the mornings, you could attend church with us."

Gale rolled his eyes. "I'll keep that in mind." He paused for a moment before adding, "Does the reverend show much interest in Lavinia?"

"He has lots of advice." After reading Prim's letter a few times, Katniss wasn't sure what to think of the man.

"I don't doubt that. Well, I'll see you soon."

Gale put the child down onto the blanket.

Customers flooded into the shop. Katniss sold out all the bread they had baked that morning, even the darkened biscuits. It wasn't until later when she was mixing up more dough that she realized Peeta hadn't returned. What was going on at Effie's house?

Peeta finally came back when the new loaves were cooling. He looked exhausted.

"What happened?"

He sighed. "I listened to Effie tell me about every mistake she's ever made," he said. "She's quite a talker."

Katniss wanted to ask more about Effie's mistakes, but Thom walked in to purchase some bread. While the loaf cooled, he and Peeta talked about the new building that would house Annie and Leevy's business. It was nearly complete. At the end of their conversation, Thom passed a small package to Peeta. Peeta shoved it into his pocket. Katniss thought it curious; but Lavinia distracted her. The child was crying and clearly needed to be put for a nap.

She carried Lavinia to her cradle in the living quarters. When Katniss returned she saw that Peeta had shut the bakeshop door and was bolting it.

She came up behind him. "What are you doing?"

Peeta put his hands on her waist and pivoted her around quickly so that her back was resting against the door. He put his finger under her chin.

"It's the middle of the day." She blushed and began to close her eyes, thinking he was going to lean in to kiss her. But she opened them wide when he spoke.

"You do remember what today it is?"

"Wednesday?"

"Katniss," he groaned. "Is there a sentimental bone in your body?"

Immediately she realized the day. They had been married one year ago this day. "Oh," she mumbled. "I guess I haven't been paying attention much."

"Well, I'll forgive you this time. There has been a lot going on lately." He smiled and reached into his pocket pulling out the small bundle that Thom had given him. "I have a gift for you."

He handed it to her and she carefully undid the brown wrapping to find a necklace inside, a pearl fixed in a gold setting that hung on a thick gold chain.

"It's beautiful," Katniss said, rubbing her finger over the pearl.

"Here let me put it on you."

Peeta showed her how to unclasp the back of the chain and then he fixed it around her neck and locked the clasp.

"I never got you a ring and I wanted to give you some jewelry," he explained. "I hope you like it."

"I do and this is so much better than a ring that I would end up picking dough out of it all day long."

"That's what I thought, too."

A pained thought crossed her mind. "Peeta, I didn't get anything for you."

Peeta shook his head. "Yes, you did." He ran his hand over her belly, resting it there.

She leaned forward to kiss him. As they melted into each other, she felt a tiny fluttering just below her ribs, as if a butterfly was trapped inside of her. She broke free of Peeta and put her hand atop his hand, which was still on her mid-section. "Did you feel that?"

"No. Is something wrong?" he asked nervously.

"It's the baby. I just felt him move."

Peeta moved his hand over her stomach area. "Where?"

Katniss grabbed his hand and placed it underneath her ribs. "Here. But I don't feel anything right now."

"Maybe he's taking a nap."

Katniss grinned at the thought, but jumped forward into Peeta as someone rapped loudly on the door behind her.

"It must be a customer," Peeta said.

Katniss moved away and Peeta opened the door.

"Got some bread?" the grizzled old miner standing in front of them asked.

"We do," Peeta answered.

Immediately they went back to work. Katniss wanted to ask Peeta more about his conversation with Effie, but they were never alone for long. Every few minutes customers or folks who stopped by to chat interrupted them.

Later, when Lavinia fell asleep for the night, Katniss asked Peeta about it.

"You were right," he said. "Effie did want me to go after Delly. I told her no. Then she told me that she was scared Delly was making the same mistake she had made."

"What mistake is that?"

"Falling for a gambler."

"But it's not real," Katniss insisted. "Your brother said as much."

"Delly's letter painted a romantic picture, like a story out of a book. It was probably a mistake, but I showed Effie my brother's letter. Of course it only made things worse."

"Because now she thinks Rye is taking advantage of Delly," Katniss guessed.

"Pretty much. Although I think they're both taking advantage of each other. Rye needs a partner to help him win. And Delly is …." His voice trailed off.

"I think she's looking for some excitement in her life," Katniss said.

What was the poor girl going to do, spend the rest of her life cooking and cleaning in a brothel? What decent man would want her with such a family history? It was no wonder she latched on to Rye's scheme.

"So what is Effie going to do?" Katniss asked.

"She's traveling to Sacramento City to talk some sense into Delly."

"By herself?"

Peeta shook his head. "I doubt it. I don't know who will accompany her but it's not our concern. Rye's going to have to save himself this time."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

News traveled fast in the small town. By mid-morning of the following day Katniss and Peeta had learned that Effie had packed her bags and left for Sacramento City accompanied by Cray and one of his friends named Cato.

No one knew exactly why she had left though. Rumors were rampant that she was hiring more girls to staff her establishment and was going to lure them away from the houses of ill repute in Sacramento City. Another story circulating was that she was seriously ill and needed the services of a doctor, a job that remained unfilled in District 12.

No one mentioned Delly though. When she had first disappeared Effie had spread the story that Delly had been sent to a finishing school. Only a few people knew the truth and those people, including Katniss and Peeta, had kept silent.

The new girl, Clove, arrived later that afternoon missing her employer entirely. She arrived with some men who were delivering goods to Thom's store. She stopped in the bakeshop before making her way to Effie's house.

Katniss' eyes widened when the prostitute walked into their shop. She was dressed in a provocative manner, with her dress cut low and her skirt short enough to show off her ankles. A floral fragrance surrounded her and the overwhelming scent turned Katniss' stomach, even though she'd passed that stage of sickness long ago in her pregnancy.

Katniss stepped forward to wait on her, but the woman ignored her and called out to Peeta who stood at the worktable rolling out a piecrust.

"What do you have that's fresh?" she asked, batting her eyes flirtatiously.

Outrage bubbled up in Kantiss at the woman's actions. It was clear this was Leevy's replacement. She'll fit right in with those women, Katniss thought angrily, as Peeta came forward and sold the woman a loaf of warm bread.

But her anger was forgotten minutes later when Thom came over to announce that their new bed and dining table and chairs had arrived. Peeta took off his apron and followed Thom out of the store.

The shipment Thom received had been considerable in size. It also included a bed for Annie and Finnick's new living quarters and fabric and other sewing notions, including a machine that made stitches, for Annie's and Leevy's shop.

With basic furniture put in place, Katniss' and Peeta's living quarters was beginning to feel like a real home. Her fingers rubbed over the pearl, a feeling of contentment washing over her, as she looked around their small residence with pride. Despite their hardships, things were looking up.

Later that evening, Katniss and Peeta invited Annie and Finnick, and Thom and Leevy to join them for dinner in the bakeshop. Everyone was in good spirits because of the delivery. Leevy and Thom were especially happy as Leevy had moved out of the brothel and into the boarding house that afternoon.

Thom predicted that District 12 would experience an economic boom. "We're getting even more miners than last year," he said, noting that the town was on the verge of growth. "Today I even met a doctor that want to set up a practice here."

On Sunday afternoon, Gale and Rory stopped by to visit. Katniss served her cousins dinner. Gale spent a great deal of time watching Lavinia, but he seemed less interested in holding her or playing with her.

Katniss wondered if he were trying to mentally detach himself from the child in someway. He hadn't spent much time with her since the previous fall, and even then María had been Lavinia's real caretaker.

She mentioned it to Peeta after the two brothers left. "It's like he doesn't care."

"He cares," Peeta assured her. "I don't think he knows how to act around a baby though."

Lavinia had been saying "da da,' to Gale, Rory and Peeta during dinner. It must have been obvious to Gale that she didn't recognize him as her "da da".

After cleaning up the bakeshop, the couple retired early for the night. They were both sleeping soundly when Katniss startled awake with a loud rapping on the door of the bakeshop. Someone was yelling their names.

Katniss felt Peeta tighten his hold on her. "Someone's at the door," she murmured, trying to shake free from his arms.

Peeta muttered something she couldn't understand, and then released her, sitting up in bed. "It's probably some drunk looking for bread."

But the shouting continued and the voice was beginning to rise in pitch. Katniss could detect a note of hysteria.

"Something's wrong," she said, sitting up as well.

"I'll get it," Peeta sighed. He got out of bed and reached for his pants, which he'd draped over the footboard of the bed. He put them on in the pale moonlight, and left the room.

Katniss heard the screech of the bolt being pulled and a whoosh as the door opened.

"Gale was shot," Rory cried out.

A sense of horror washed over Katniss. Her mouth went dry. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. How could that be? Gale and Rory had been in the bakeshop just a couple of hours earlier.

She got out of bed and slipped her dress over her head, quickly buttoning the front of it.

She rushed into the bakeshop to find Peeta talking quietly with Rory, attempting to calm the boy down and find out exactly what had happened.

"There was a fight at Effie's house," Rory explained. "Gale tried to stop it and he got shot."

Why was he at Effie's house? To visit Jo? Was Rory visiting Effie's house as well? He was only fifteen years old. A sick leaden feeling settled in Katniss' stomach as she thought of both of her cousins in that place.

"Where was he hit?" Katniss interrupted.

"In the side."

Katniss gasped.

The young man reached for Katniss and pulled her into a quick hug, resting his head on her shoulder, his face wetting her dress.

Instinctively, Katniss patted the back of her cousin's head. She turned to Peeta.

"I need to see Gale."

"I don't want you going over there," Peeta said. "It's not safe."

Katniss remembered the drunken man who'd grabbed her on Christmas Day. "But I have to. He's family."

"I'll go with you then."

"What about Lavinia."

"We'll bring her along," Peeta said.

If it wouldn't be safe for Katniss, how would it be safe for a baby? But Katniss didn't have time to argue with Peeta. They both returned to their room and finished dressing. Peeta scooped up a sleeping Lavinia from her bed and they followed Rory back to Effie's house.

The atmosphere inside the residence was tense. The women were downstairs in the parlor in various states of undress surrounding Clove who was hysterical.

Katniss rushed up the stairs, with Peeta and Lavinia close behind. The last door at the end of the hall stood open. Jo's room, Katniss remembered. She'd been inside that room, a long time ago, when she'd returned a dress she'd borrowed from the woman.

When they got inside, Gale was stretched out on the bed. His face was ashen. His pants were still on, but his chest was bare. Blood was dripping out from a tiny hole in his upper right side. Jo was in her dressing gown, propping his head up with one hand and holding a whiskey bottle to his lips.

"What are you doing?" Katniss hissed at the woman.

"He's in pain brainless," Jo answered. "If you wanted to help, maybe you'd find someone who can fish out the bullet and stitch him up."

Immediately Peeta left the room with Lavinia. Katniss sat the other side of the bed and looked at her cousin.

"What happened?" she asked Jo.

"Clove's customer was beating her up. This fool decided to rescue her. I told him not to get involved. But he didn't listen." Jo tenderly rubbed her hand across Gale's forehead. "Now look at him."

Gale opened his eyes and a smirk crossed his face. "He would have killed her," he muttered.

"Don't talk," Katniss implored. "Save your strength."

Gale turned his head, finally noticing Katniss. He groaned loudly.

"Are you all right?" Katniss asked.

"Embarrassed," Gale muttered. "I didn't expect to be seeing you here. Who told you?"

"Rory," Katniss said.

Gale frowned. "That kid," he muttered. "Look, whatever happens…"

"You'll be fine," Katniss said, cutting him off immediately. But she wondered if it would be true. Would her cousin be dead by morning?

Gale closed his eyes and grimaced. Katniss heard a tiny sob and looked up at Jo. Tears were streaming down the woman's face.

Katniss remembered Delly telling her long ago that Jo's husband had died after he'd been shot. She wondered if the woman was reliving the experience.

Time slowed for Katniss as she recalled childhood memories of Gale. They had been so close. As they'd grown older, the relationship had changed, but that was only natural. But still, she loved him and she was not ready to say good-bye.

She was startled from her thoughts as she heard Peeta talking to a man in the hallway. Peeta entered the room followed by a dark haired man wearing silver spectacles and carrying a satchel immediately went to Gale's side pushing Jo away. Amazingly Lavinia was still asleep, her head resting on Peeta's shoulder.

"This is Dr. James Beetee," Peeta said.

The doctor ignored the women and put his hands onto Gale's side, gently touching the skin around the wound.

"I'll need some hot water and clean linen," he said, eyeing Jo.

A look of surprise crossed the woman's face, but she quickly turned and left the room.

"Can you help him?" Katniss asked. She was standing now, watching the doctor open his satchel and pull out a metal instrument with a sharp pointed end.

"Perhaps," he said, poking the instrument into wound. "But I won't know until I find the bullet."

Immediately Katniss' turned to Peeta. "I need to get out of here," she said. She had no problems gutting large animals but the sight of that man poking a metal instrument into Gale's side made her queasy.

Peeta followed her out of the room. "Let's go home Katniss," he said. "There's nothing you can do here. The doctor will help him, if he can."

She nodded, biting her lip. As they walked out of Effie's house, she asked, "where did you find him?"

"He's staying at the new boarding house," Peeta said. "Don't you remember Thom told us about him at dinner the other night."

She'd forgotten; she was glad Peeta had remembered. She only hoped the man knew what he was doing.

**Author's Note: Medical schools in the nineteenth century only required two years of study. There were no laboratory courses because most communities objected to cutting up dead bodies for religious reasons. As a consequence, many trained doctors practiced medicine but rarely performed surgery. **


	9. Chapter 9 - Town Growth

**Chapter 9 – Town Growth**

As Peeta limped back to the bakeshop with Lavinia and Katniss, he wondered what had happened to the man who'd shot Gale. There had been no customers at Effie's house, only women who were crying in the parlor.

He had his suspicions, though, as they passed the saloon. Loud curses and the sounds of men arguing were emanating from it.

District 12 was a town without any official law enforcement. Cray acted as sheriff, but it wasn't an appointed position. He was simply the biggest bully in the area and was able to sway the majority of men to his way of thinking. But at present, Cray was out of town.

However, Peeta knew there were those who would eagerly take his place to influence the debauched mob. Justice in the gold fields was swift and harsh. There were no jails to hold criminals. If a man wasn't let go, the punishment was usually death by hanging.

Peeta kept his thoughts to himself. Katniss had enough concerns; he didn't want to frighten her anymore.

Once they undressed and climbed back into bed, neither of them could fall sleep. Peeta held Katniss as she wept. After an hour, she fell into a light sleep. He lay awake, listening to the noise outside and fearing what the morning would bring.

He got up at first light before Katniss woke, and snuck out of the bakeshop to check on Gale. When he knocked on the door of the brothel, Rory opened it. The boy looked exhausted.

"How is he?" Peeta asked.

"Better. The doc got the bullet out. He said it didn't touch any vital areas; but it tore up his ribs something awful. But he should heal up."

Peeta sighed in relief at the news. "Do you know what happened to the shooter?"

"They strung him up. Served him right."

Peeta wasn't surprised. But his jaw dropped at the callous tone in the fifteen-year-old's voice. He had to remind himself that the boy's brother had been nearly killed so of course he'd feel that way.

Peeta wasn't sure how to feel. But he was glad that Gale would recover. He left to tell Katniss the good news.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Effie returned ten days later, she was surprised to learn that a shooting had occurred in her establishment and Gale Hawthorne had taken up residence in Peeta's and Katniss' old room. Jo hadn't worked since it had happened; she'd taken over as Gale's nurse.

Effie brought back a tall, angular woman named Venia to work at the brothel. She had planned for Venia to do business out of the room Gale was occupying. After a brief discussion with Dr. Beetee, who had been visiting Gale every day, Effie decided that Gale was stable enough to move. She ordered him to leave her residence immediately and relocate elsewhere.

Jo became angry about what she viewed as her employer's lack of concern. She quit and moved into the new boarding house with Gale to tend to him. Venia was installed in Jo's old room ready to provide services to the men of District 12.

Peeta wasn't surprised that Effie had asked Gale to leave. She wasn't running a hospital, but the speed of her actions and the lack of compassion she showed were likely an indication of the fury she was feeling. It probably didn't help that Gale was a relation to Rye through Katniss' and Peeta's marriage, albeit a distant one. Effie was furious with Peeta's brother.

Effie had returned without Delly. She never spoke with anyone as to what had occurred, but gossip trickled back to the Peeta and Katniss via customers in the bakeshop. Either Cray or Cato had a loose tongue and talked about the real reason for the trip Effie had taken.

Of course, like all the other tales told in District 12, the story had taken a fantastical turn. Peeta heard many versions of it, in some Delly had married his brother, in others Delly was pregnant and unwed, the worst was that Delly had opened a brothel in Sacramento City and Rye had left for San Francisco to recruit women to work in it.

Peeta suspected his brother had left for San Francisco, as he'd written he would, but that Delly had stayed behind in Sacramento City. As for the rest, Peeta didn't want to speculate, he just hoped Rye hadn't done anything he's regret later.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While Gale had been recovering from his wound at Effie's house, Peeta had begun organizing the merchants to form a town government. Thom, Haymitch, Annie, Leevy, Sae and her husband Ephraim, and the owners of the town's two boarding houses were willing to get involved. Effie joined in as soon as she got back.

The mob of men that had hung the man who'd shot Gale had frightened all of the business owners. While many agreed that the man had deserved his fate, they didn't like the idea of justice being dealt out at the hands of drunks in the middle of the night while most of them were asleep.

A quick election was held and Thom was voted mayor of the town of District 12. Peeta and the other merchants as well as influential citizens, like Reverend Undersee and Dr. Beetee, formed a council that would help the mayor in any decisions to be made regarding the growth of the town and the punishment inflicted on lawbreakers.

The council grudgingly permitted Cray to continue to act as sheriff, but it was an unpaid position. He did not have the authority to punish lawbreakers at whim, but had to bring them before the council who would decide on their fate.

The merchants chipped in to build a tiny jail, just big enough to contain two men. It would house the offender until the council had made a decision as to their fate.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peeta offered to let Rory stay in the bakeshop while Gale healed. The room in the boardinghouse was too small to house Gale, Jo and Rory; and Peeta didn't think it was a good idea for the fifteen-year-old to continue living at the mining camp alone, surrounded by men who spent their free time gambling and drinking. He'd gone to the camp with Rory and taken down the tent the two brothers had been living in. Fortunately Rory had been able to store the rocker that he used daily with another miner.

Rory continued to pan for gold every day, walking the two miles to the river with Finnick each morning and returning with him each evening. The two of them worked together using the rocker.

Afterwards Rory would join Peeta, Katniss and Lavinia for dinner. He visited Gale daily, but didn't stay long.

"Jo doesn't like me," he complained to Peeta and Katniss.

"She doesn't like anyone," Katniss replied.

"She likes my brother."

Peeta wondered at the woman's devotion to Gale and what would happen when the man recovered.

With Rory sleeping on the floor of the bakeshop, Peeta and Katniss had no privacy. At first it didn't bother him. They were both tired at the end of the day, Katniss especially as she grew rounder with child

But after a week, he missed their private moments. He began locking the door of the bakeshop every afternoon while Lavinia napped. The afternoons were generally slow; he doubted he lost much business.

But it was the only time he had to reconnect with his wife. Afterwards, he would leave their bed refreshed and return to work as Katniss slept.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

June brought gloom and fog every morning that burned off to leave warm afternoons. Gale was able to leave the boardinghouse. Every morning he and Jo would walk around the town and visit at the general store, the bakery, and Sae's restaurant, before stopping at the saloon for a whiskey. He used a cane to help him balance, as he seemed to favor the left side.

"Dr. Beetee says I need to get some fresh air," he explained to Peeta and Katniss.

Instead of welcoming her cousin's visits to the bakeshop, Katniss seemed to get very nervous when he and Jo appeared. Peeta wondered if she feared that her cousin would take Lavinia back. But although Gale asked about the child at every visit, he made no request to even hold her. And Jo acted as if she didn't care at all.

One day in late June, Gale told them that he would be returning to the mining camp soon.

"Will you be able to do the work?" Peeta questioned. Panning for gold in the river or digging it out of the side of the mountain was tedious and tiring physical labor.

"I have to give it a try."

Peeta loaned Rory and Gale his cart to haul their tent and other belongings out to the mining camp. The brothers borrowed a horse from Thom to hitch to the cart because neither they nor Peeta had horses anymore. Gale and Rory had sold the horses they'd had when they arrived to help pay for Gale's stay in the boardinghouse. And Peeta had never replaced his horse that Delly had taken.

Jo moved out to the camp with them. Peeta wondered at how that situation would work. It didn't take long to find out. Within a day, Rory showed up and asked if he could continue to sleep on the floor of the bakeshop.

"Jo?" Katniss questioned.

Rory nodded. "She doesn't like me."

Katniss snorted.

Begrudgingly Peeta agreed. But his irritation with Gale was growing. He had already taken on the care of the man's daughter. Now he was housing his brother as well.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But there were other things to distract Peeta from his frustration. Business was booming in District 12. More miners than ever were flocking to the area. With the bakery door propped open, the noise of hammers and handsaws was heard continuously throughout the day as new buildings were added to the town.

Dr. Beetee opened a medical practice in a tiny storefront.

Reverend Undersee was taking up a collection to build a church for the town. He'd come to the merchants first, and although Peeta had reservations about the reverend, he contributed to it. He agreed that a permanent church would be a good thing for the town, a moral force to stand against corruption.

Every few days Peeta would close the bakeshop for the morning and he and Katniss would go hunting. They were no longer responsible for providing meat for Sae's restaurant anymore, so the game they caught was for their own dinner table. Annie would watch Lavinia for them as they hunted; in return they provided fresh meat for the Odair's as well.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gale lasted a month at the mining camp before giving up. The work proved to be too strenuous. Rory told Peeta and Katniss that Jo had even been panning for gold at the river's edge.

"She put on a pair of men's pants and an old shirt," he said.

Peeta was surprised at her actions. He hadn't known any women who'd done that. It wasn't considered socially acceptable employment for decent women. But he guessed that Jo was past caring what other people thought of her.

Gale and Jo returned to District 12 and set up their tent at the edge of the town at the semi-permanent campground. Gale went around to all the businesses seeking employment.

It broke Peeta's heart to see the man reduced to begging for work. Peeta hired Gale to build a chicken coop, but he had no other work for him. Fortunately, Gale was able to pick up other construction jobs.

Effie also hired him to tend to her cows. She didn't have much choice, as no one wanted the job. Peeta had quit that work within weeks of opening the bakeshop. Dalton, who worked for Sae, had taken it over. But even Dalton grew tired of waking so early. The man was happy to pass along the job to someone else.

Jo, meanwhile, had set herself up as a laundress, doing the same job that Gale's mother Hazelle had performed in the Dirty District 12 mining camp. Within a short time, she'd gathered business from most of the single men in town. On those days when Gale had no work, he would help her out, carrying buckets of water from the river that they would heat over a campfire.

As Peeta watched the trajectory of events that had befallen Gale, his irritation lessened and his sympathy grew. Life had treated both he and Gale harshly. A person had no control over fate; the only thing he could control was his reaction to it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the middle of July, on probably the hottest day of the year, Thom and Leevy got married. The wedding was a big event for the residents of the town. The ceremony was held in the center of the main street in front of Sae's restaurant so that everyone could watch. The merchants locked up their shops to attend. All of Effie's girls were there, wearing their most colorful dresses, their faces painted. Reverend Undersee officiated.

Afterwards, Thom and Leevy stood behind a table that had been dragged out from the restaurant and handed out slices of frosted cake to the guests. Peeta and Katniss had spent two days baking and icing the wedding cake, which was filled with raisins and nuts.

The party ended in the saloon, where Leevy eventually convinced Thom, who was drunk, to return to their living quarters behind the general store to begin their honeymoon.

Peeta and Katniss skipped the party to re-open the bakeshop. With this many people in town, they would be sure to do good business.

Toward evening while Katniss was in their living quarters getting Lavinia ready for bed, Gale walked into the bakeshop. Peeta could tell the man had been drinking. His gait was unsteady and his speech slurred.

"How are you my friend?" Gale greeted Peeta.

"Why don't you sit down and eat something," Peeta suggested. He wondered where Jo was. Was she drunk too?

Peeta grabbed two biscuits and set them on a plate for the man, motioning for him to sit at the table in the baking area. Awkwardly Gale sat. He picked up a biscuit and took a bite.

"You're a lucky man," Gale said, his eyes glancing around the shop. "All this and a wife and a baby on the way."

Peeta sat down across from Gale. "It hasn't been easy Gale," he said. "You know that." Peeta thought back to the fire that destroyed his first bakeshop, to Katniss' miscarriage and melancholia, to his job at Effie's house and all the problems that his brother and Delly had created. He could even add Gale to his list of burdens since he was now responsible for the man's daughter and brother.

Gale nodded. "I know." He paused for a moment. "Hell, nothing's easy. But there's one difference between you and me."

"What's that?"

"You have a heart of gold," Gale said. "Despite what losses you've encountered you always spring back. And you help everyone along the way, too. Taking on Lavinia, dealing with her god-awful grandfather, letting Rory bunk here…" his voice trailed off.

Peeta didn't know how to respond to Gale's compliment, although he was glad to see that the man recognized the help he'd provided. Peeta didn't think he'd done anything special though, anything that any other decent man wouldn't have done under similar circumstances. And he had been plenty peeved about it too, but he'd taken action anyway despite his resentment.

"I'd say your heart was golden too," Peeta replied, remembering that the man had married Madge when she was expecting another man's child, that he'd been shot trying to protect Clove.

"Yeah, everything I touch turns to gold." Gale laughed bitterly. "Jo is pregnant."

Peeta's jaw dropped, but he wasn't surprised. The couple had been living together for three months now.

"So I guess there'll be another wedding soon."

Gale snorted. "That's what's so ironic," he said, rubbing his temples. "The woman who wasn't having my child wanted to marry me. The one who's having my child won't."

"What are you going to do?"

"Oh, we're together all right. Just won't be getting married. He looked down at his hands. "At least not anytime soon."

Gale ate another biscuit and then stood up to go. "Please don't say anything about it to the reverend. He already thinks I'm the devil himself because of this." He pointed to his side where the bullet had struck him.

Peeta laughed. "I won't."

Much later, when Katniss and Peeta had retired to their living quarters and Rory was snoring in his bedroll in the bakeshop, Katniss asked him about his conversation with Gale.

"I heard him say that Jo was expecting," Katniss said. "I don't know what Gale sees in that woman. She's awful."

Peeta nodded, understanding his wife's concerns. He didn't know Jo well, but she had been rude to Katniss on several occasions.

Peeta knew it was not his place to judge another man's feelings. He remembered back to a conversation with Rye when he'd heard that Gale and Madge were engaged. Rye had said that Gale had chosen Madge because he wanted to escape from under his mother Hazelle's thumb. It had seemed a reasonable assumption at the time, but Peeta learned the truth much later. Gale had been helping to save Madge's reputation, as the woman had been pregnant with another man's child.

Peeta wondered if Gale's interest in Jo was partly based on his rescuing her from a life as a prostitute.

"Well, we better be nice to her," Peeta finally said. "Whether they marry or not, with a child on the way she's going to be family to you now."

Katniss scrunched up her face and shut her eyes.

Peeta grinned. "You look like you ate something sour."

She laughed at his comment and then changed the subject completely. "Do you think Rory is fully asleep by now?" Her voice was low. Her eyes held a mischievous look.

Peeta nodded. He scooted across the bed and bent forward to capture his wife's lips. He'd spent far too much time thinking about Gale Hawthorne today. It was time to think on other things.

Fortunately the sounds of pots and pans clanging from the chivaree that had started up for Thom and Leevy masked the sounds of their passion.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The summer heat continued and Peeta watched Katniss' mid-section grow larger every day. She didn't complain, but she looked so uncomfortable and physically awkward. He commissioned Gale to build her a stool to sit on while she kneaded the dough. Peeta insisted she take a nap every afternoon, although he was no longer shutting up the shop for them both to spend time together.

Despite her changed appearance, he'd never seen his wife look lovelier. Her normally slender body had developed shapely curves that made him yearn to reach out and run his hands over her when he was supposed to be making bread. Her cheeks were rosy, her grey eyes glowing, and her long brown hair especially shiny. Every night he held her in his arms, resting his hands on her belly. Their child was kicking more now. Some nights, he wondered how Katniss slept with the babe being so active.

As he lay in bed on those nights, after she'd fallen asleep, fresh worries flooded his mind. How would he run the bakery while Katniss recovered from the baby's birth? How would he care for Lavinia while Katniss was caring for the newborn?

And the worst worry of all, the nightmare that caused his throat to tighten and made him gasp for air. What if Katniss died in childbirth? One night after a particularly horrific dream about it he came to paralyzed in terror. Instinctively he reached out for her, his hands grabbing at her rounded hips pulling her closer. Immediately he calmed down, he was okay when he realized she was there.

He knew Katniss wished for her mother and Prim to be present for the birth. She had written letters that they hoped had been passed along to her family in Sacramento City, but the couple couldn't be sure of it.

They had already talked to Dr. Beetee, though, about delivering the child. Annie had offered to assist as well, and Peeta was comforted to know that their friend would be by her side.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory arrived to dinner excited about the news. "A troupe of actors is making the rounds of the mining camps," he said. "They're doing a show in Dirty District 12 in a few days."

Traveling theater groups commonly made their way through the different camps and small towns to entertain the men. The miners eagerly received them because other than playing cards and drinking, there was little in the way of amusement. Besides, the shows always starred one or two beautiful young women. Other than the women who worked as prostitutes and the married woman, the population of California was still mostly male.

News about the traveling show was all over town the next day. Many of the townspeople talked of traveling out to the camp to watch. Even Katniss showed interest, but she reluctantly agreed with Peeta that she was probably too far along in her pregnancy to be walking to the camp and home again. What if she went into labor during the show?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They were making pies, when they heard a voice call out.

"Landsakes, you finally opened a bakeshop in town."

Peeta looked up in astonishment and glanced at Katniss.

In the doorway of the bakery was a woman dressed in a bright pink gown. Her hair was in hanging in blond ringlets around her painted face. At her side stood a man wearing a striped suit, a top hat, and fancy white gloves.

Delly and Rye had returned to District 12.

**Author's Note: California territory was overseen by the United States military after the Mexican War ended in May 1848. Local government continued to be run by alcades (mayors) following the same structure Mexico had in place prior to the war. However, most gold mining towns, which formed after the war ended, lacked these formal laws and traditions. Their government was a hodgepodge of whatever the townspeople decided would serve them best, often a changing mixture of Mexican rules, American principles, and personal dictates. **


	10. Chapter 10 - Illness

**Chapter 10 - Illness**

Katniss felt a sharp jab to her groin. The baby's kicks had changed in recent days. It felt like the child was trying to escape her body now. She winced at the sensation.

"Are you all right?" Peeta asked, ignoring his brother and Delly and rushing to his wife's side.

She was sitting on the stool, but she'd bent over and clutched at her belly.

"I'm alright," she muttered after a moment. Dr. Beetee had told her that she might expect some pain as the baby shifted into position.

Rye and Delly stepped forward into the shop, expressions of concern on their faces.

"We heard you were expecting but you're enormous Katniss," Delly exclaimed.

Katniss glared at Delly. She was hot and tired. She was wearing the only dress that she fit now and it needed laundering. A stained apron was tied under her breasts, the narrowest part of her mid-section. The hairpins holding up her thick braid had loosened and her hair was slipping lower onto her neck, making it itch.

Delly, on the other hand, looked fresh and clean. An irrational impulse to slap the woman took hold of Katniss. She bit her lip until it hurt willing herself to stifle the urge.

"Ma ma," Lavinia called, breaking the tension in the room.

Delly stepped forward toward the sound. Lavinia was nested in a large wooden box lined with a blanket and a pillow. She had already started walking so it wasn't safe for Katniss to set her on a blanket on the floor any longer.

"She's so big," Delly said. She squatted down next to the box. "Do you remember me Lavinia?" she asked, her voice rising in pitch.

Inwardly Katniss laughed at Delly's actions. It reminded her of Gale's response when he hadn't seen Lavinia after so long an absence.

"How are you Peeta?" Rye asked.

Katniss turned her head to look at Peeta. She knew he was irritated with his brother for the mess he'd left behind.

"All right," Peeta said wiping his hands clean on nearby towel. He walked around the table and past the wooden counter to face his brother.

"What brings you two back to District 12?" Peeta asked.

"Delly is part of the traveling theater group."

"Yes, but what are _you_ doing here?" Peeta continued. "Are you two married now?"

Delly giggled loudly. "Not yet. She held out her left hand and showed a golden ring with a ruby stone embedded in it."

Katniss' eyes widened at the sight.

Peeta glanced at the ring, and then glared at Rye, whose face had turned a light shade of pink.

He turned to Katniss. "I need to talk to my brother privately. Show Delly how Lavinia can walk now."

"She walks?" Delly trilled.

Katniss nodded, as Peeta and Rye left the bakeshop.

She got off the stool and walked over to Lavinia. Awkwardly she knelt down to pull Lavinia out of the box. As soon as the child's feet hit the ground she took off running to the open door of the bakeshop. Delly quickly caught her, picked her up, and peppered her face with kisses.

"She's so sweet," Delly sighed. "But a handful, I guess."

"She is."

"Can I feed her?"

Katniss laughed at the comment. "She feeds herself now. She doesn't need your help." Katniss walked over to the shelf, which held a plate of biscuits and picked one up. She broke off a piece of it and handed it to the child. Lavinia immediately put it into her mouth and began to chew.

"Landsakes, she has teeth," Delly shouted. She held Lavinia higher and stared at her mouth as the girl chewed.

Katniss had so many things she wanted to say to Delly, to tell her what a burden her disappearance had been to Peeta and herself and the pain it had caused Effie, but she doubted the woman even cared about all that. Instead Katniss asked about the reason she had returned.

"How did you become involved with a traveling theater?"

Delly grinned, shifting Lavinia to rest on her hip. "Rye and I went to some shows in Sacramento City. I told him, `I can do that.' Rye talked to the manager, who gave me an audition. He said I was `just perfect' for the part."

"What part is that?"

"Juliet," Delly said. "You know from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet."

"You do the entire play?"

Delly laughed. "No, that would require more actors than we have. We do selected readings. There's another actor who plays Romeo. A third plays the Friar. We've performed in four mining camps already."

"Does Rye travel with you then?"

"He does," Delly said. "We're engaged."

Katniss studied Delly's face carefully. But the woman looked serious. Katniss couldn't decide if she was telling the truth or simply a good actress, but she looked like she whole-heartedly believed her words.

She wondered at the conversation Peeta was having with Rye. Katniss wished they'd return. She was tired of talking to Delly.

"Have you visited your aunt yet?" Katniss asked.

Delly frowned. "No," she muttered. "She doesn't like Rye much." She hugged Lavinia to her side again. "I can't get over how big Lavinia's gotten," she said. "She's so heavy now."

"Give her to me," Katniss said.

Delly kissed the child on the mouth before giving her to Katniss who promptly placed the child back into her nesting box.

"Have your mother and sister arrived yet?" Delly asked.

"No, are they coming here?" Katniss' heart leapt at the news. She hadn't seen her family in nearly a year. It would be such a comfort to see them and have them here when the baby arrived.

"Before I left to tour, your mother was talking about returning with Prim to deliver your baby," Delly volunteered. "I thought they'd be here by now."

Katniss shook her head. This was good news. But she didn't have time to think on it because Peeta walked into the bakeshop. His face was flushed.

"You should go Delly," he said gruffly. "Rye is waiting for you outside."

A look of concern crossed the woman's face. "All right." She looked at Katniss. "I hope you can come to my show," she said before turning and leaving the shop.

"What happened?" Katniss asked as soon as Delly left.

Her husband who had put up with so much already looked like he might explode. He didn't answer right away. Instead he walked over and began punching the dough so hard that his fists made loud thumping sounds into the table.

After a few minutes and a few loud sighs Peeta finally answered.

"My brother is completely broke," he said. "Whatever he won in Sacramento City he lost at the gaming halls in San Francisco."

Katniss let out a gasp.

"There's more," Peeta said. "He asked me to loan him some money so he could get in another card game at the saloon. He also asked if he could sleep on the floor of the bakeshop while he's here."

Katniss groaned. "What did you tell him?"

Peeta looked at Katniss. "I told him `no' to both requests. I'm not giving him any money to gamble and he is not sleeping on the floor of the bakeshop."

"But Rory..." she began.

"That's completely different Katniss. Rory's a kid. Rye is just a fool."

"What will he do?"

"He can go down to the river and pan for gold like everyone else if he needs money," Peeta said. "The weather is warm; he can sleep outside."

"But what about Delly?"

"The touring group lodges at the boarding house."

"Are they really engaged then?"

Peeta snorted. "Rye says it's not real."

"But the ring?"

"He says he bought it to serve as an emergency fund of cash. Rye says all the gamblers do it. It's easier than carrying gold on their persons. They buy jewelry that can be pawned or sold when they're down on their luck."

"Well, now would be a good time to sell it then," Katniss said.

"I told him that, but he says Delly doesn't want him to since she's already told everyone it's an engagement ring."

Katniss shook her head. "What a mess."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that evening, Finnick stopped by the bakeshop to tell them that Rye had paid a visit to Annie's tailoring shop to ask he if could sleep on the floor.

"He said you wouldn't let him stay here."

"I won't," Peeta replied.

"Annie refused, too. She was concerned about what would happen if those gamblers found out Rye was back in town, although now that I think of it, I haven't seen any of those fellows around for while. I think they've moved on."

Peeta nodded. "I thought of that myself. It will be safer for him if he stays away from District 12 and in a mining camp. Too many people in town remember what happened. Those men had friends here."

Katniss completely forgot about her brother-in-law's problems the next morning when she touched Lavinia. The child was burning with fever. Panicked, she wet a cold cloth and held it the girl's forehead.

Lavinia was listless and refused to eat any food. Peeta hurried to find Dr. Beetee. When the doctor arrived, he felt around the child's throat and looked into her mouth. There were yellow spots on her tonsils.

"Her throat is inflamed," he said. He gave Katniss a bottle of syrup and instructed her to give the child a spoonful twice each day.

Within minutes of swallowing the medicine, Lavinia fell asleep. Peeta carried her bed out the living quarters into the kitchen area of the bakeshop so he and Katniss could keep an eye on the child.

"She'll be fine," he said. "She's always been healthy."

Lavinia had been uncommonly healthy up until now so Peeta's reassurance had some comfort in it. But Katniss still worried. The child had been fine yesterday. Why had she taken sick?

A fantastical thought flew into her mind. Maybe Madge wanted to take her daughter back? With Katniss' own child due to arrive within weeks, possibly days, maybe Madge thought two babies would be too much for Katniss.

Katniss shook the idea from her mind. It was superstitious and silly and plain wrong. She had faith in Dr. Beetee. Still she wished that her mother and Prim would arrive. Delly had thought they were coming. She hoped the woman was right.

Lavinia's health stayed the same; and within a day it was clear from the conversation of customers who frequented the bakeshop that a sickness was going around District 12. Symptoms included a fever, a severe sore throat, and yellow spots in the mouth.

Katniss and Peeta remained healthy, but others in town were ill, including Delly. Rory returned from working at the camp two days later to tell them that the theater group's performance had been postponed. Delly, and the actor playing the part of Romeo, could hardly speak. Most of the residents of the new boarding house, where the actors had staying, were also ill.

Gale stopped by a few days later. Peeta had closed the bakeshop early; fewer customers had come in with the sickness spreading through town.

He rapped at the door loudly and called for them. Peeta let the man in. It was Lavinia's first birthday and Katniss wondered if Gale had come to wish her well.

But Gale was distraught. He told them Jo had taken ill. When he learned that Lavinia was sick, too, his face crumpled.

"I can't lose both of them," Gale said, dropping his face into his hands.

"They'll recover," Katniss insisted. "No one is dying."

Gale shook his head. "One man has died Katniss. They buried him this morning."

A stabbing pain went through her. Madge had died one year ago this very day. Was it an omen? She exchanged glances with Peeta. He wore an uneasy look. She had no idea that the illness could be so serious as to kill its victims.

Her father had died of ague the very day she and her family had arrived in Dirty District 12. If anything happened to Lavinia, or even Peeta… Katniss didn't want to think about it.

After Gale left, Peeta turned to her. "I'm closing up the bakeshop until the illness runs its course. I don't want to take any chances. I just want to put you and the baby," he rubbed his hand over her belly as he spoke, "somewhere you can't get sick."

Katniss and Peeta stayed locked inside their living quarters for the next two days, only allowing Dr. Beetee in to check up on Lavinia, and Rory in to sleep at night. The medicine the doctor gave Lavinia made her sleep continuously. When she woke up, Katniss fed some her some applesauce and bread. The child had some difficulty swallowing, but her appetite was slowly returning. Once she finished, Katniss doused her with another spoonful of syrup and she quickly fell asleep.

Without customers, Peeta and Katniss cleaned the bakeshop and living quarters from top to bottom.

The couple had ordered a bed for the new baby months ago. It had been sitting in a corner of their living quarters for weeks now. Peeta moved the new cradle next to Katniss' side of the bed. Katniss made it up, lining it with soft fabric.

When they were done, Peeta experimented with a few new bread recipes while Katniss slept. She was so tired these days. Annie had warned her to rest up.

"You won't get much sleep once the baby gets here."

She was dreaming about the meadow and Madge and the baby she'd lost when she heard Prim's voice. Did something happen to her sister? Was Prim in the meadow too?

Katniss startled awake to see Prim sitting on the edge of her bed. Her mother was leaning over the cradle, studying Lavinia.

Prim was smiling at her. "Katniss, you're so big now."

Katniss grimaced. Is that all anyone could think to say when they saw her?

"How are you feeling?" her mother asked.

"Uncomfortable and tired."

Her mother laughed. "Well, that's normal at this stage." She changed the subject. "How long has Lavinia been sick?"

"Over a week now," Peeta chimed in.

He was standing near to the door.

Her mother turned to Peeta. "Has there been any change in her?"

"I think she's slowly getting better," Peeta said. "Her appetite is returning. But she sleeps so much."

Peeta took the bottle off of a nearby shelf and handed it to Mrs. Everdeen. "The doctor gave us this medicine."

She pulled the cork from the bottle, tilted it, and got a dab of it onto her pinkie finger. She shut up the bottle and licked her finger.

"This is morphine," she said. "That's why she's so tired." She looked at Katniss. "You haven't taken any of this, have you?"

"No," Katniss insisted. "I'm not sick."

"Good." She looked at Peeta. "You should start cutting back on Lavinia's dose. This medicine can be very dangerous if taken too long."

Katniss got out of bed. Peeta had a meal prepared for the women and they all sat down to eat. Over their meal they caught each other up on the goings on of family and friends.

Katniss was pleased to hear that her Hawthorne cousins were doing well. Aunt Hazelle and Uncle Samuel liked their lives in Sacramento City. They had planted a large garden on their land and had chickens and even a goat. Vick was overseeing the garden, and Posy was in charge of the chickens. The girl had started her own business selling eggs in Sacramento City.

Katniss' mother enthusiastically described her work at the apothecary shop. Prim appeared caught up in the work as well.

"Did you know that a medical school has opened especially for women in Boston now?" Prim asked.

Katniss was amazed at Prim's interest in healing. Her sister used to have dreams of becoming a teacher. She knew Prim had missed school when they'd left Oregon, but she never would have imagined her sister would become interested in studying medicine.

Katniss told her family further details about Gale's troubles since his shooting. They knew of that event since Katniss had mentioned it in a letter. They didn't know about Jo's pregnancy, however. Prim's jaw dropped and Mrs. Everdeen scowled when Katniss told them the news.

"What about Rory?" Prim finally asked. "Where is he? What's he doing?"

"He walks out to the river every day with Finnick," Katniss said. "He should be here soon. He sleeps here at night," she added.

Surprise crossed Mrs. Everdeen's face. She looked toward her son-in-law. "You are such a kind person to put up with all of us."

Katniss exchanged looks with Peeta. "That's not all he's had to deal with," she muttered.

A puzzled expression appeared on her mother's face.

"My brother returned last week," Peeta explained. "He's broke and living at the Dirty District 12 camp."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peeta insisted that Katniss' mother and sister stay with them. He slept on the bakeshop floor with Rory, while the three women huddled together in the bed. After a couple of hours, Prim climbed out and slept on the floor.

"There was no room for me," she told Katniss and her mother the next morning.

Katniss mood lightened as the days passed. Peeta re-opened the bakeshop. Her mother and Prim visited with some of their friends, taking along a special mixture of crushed garlic, honey, and black pepper to aid in the recovery of the sick. They came back with the news that Delly and Jo were doing much better.

Prim helped Katniss put together a layette of necessary baby items. Annie had already made a few long gowns for the baby. Prim knit two hats and some booties.

Within two weeks of the start of the contagion, the illness seemed to be winding down. Only one man died, and Mrs. Everdeen guessed he'd likely developed complications with his heart, something that often happened with this kind of throat inflammation.

The theater performance was re-scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen planned to attend, as did most of the town's residents. Reverend Undersee had protested at first about it being held on the Lord's Day, but no one took his protest seriously because Sunday was the only day off work for most miners.

With all the excitement going around about the performance, Katniss wished she could attend simply to be part of the moment. But she was near time to deliver – it could be any day now – and Peeta wouldn't allow her to take the risk of traveling to the camp.

He promised to stay back with her. Later, Katniss wished she'd insisted that Peeta attend the performance, especially when Cray pounded on the bakeshop door after dinner that Sunday night.

"You're under arrest," the man shouted when Peeta opened the door.

"For what?" Rory asked, standing behind a stunned Peeta.

"For helping to plan and carry out a robbery at Effie Trinkett's residence this afternoon."

Katniss gasped and lumbered forward toward her husband but before she could reach him, three men had dragged him from his spot and out the door.

"Peeta," she howled. She couldn't protect him. There were too many people between them now.

He twisted his head toward her. "Katniss, it will be all right. I'll straighten this out."

Tears ran down her face as the men dragged Peeta away into the dark night. Her mother and Prim rushed to her side. Instinctively Katniss reached for the pearl that hung on the end of the golden chain on her neck and feverishly ran it across her lips.

**Author's Note: The Boston Female Medical College, the first medical school for women was opened in 1848. Twelve women enrolled the first year and were graduated in 1850.**

**The symptoms of strep throat include fever, severe sore throat, and white or yellow spots on the tongue or tonsils. It's transmitted by direct contact with saliva or fluids from the nose of an infected person. The illness is highly contagious. Current treatment for the malady involves the use of antibiotics. However, prior to the discovery of antibiotics in 1928, the illness was simply endured. Homeopathic remedies included Belladona, mercury salts and Lac-Caninum. A mixture of garlic, honey, and cayenne pepper might be used to soothe the throat and kill the bacteria. Left untreated it may, in some cases, develop into rheumatic fever, which can lead to death.**


End file.
